HARONDOR

OF BELFALAS

ARAT AGMIR
(Haradwaith)

BAY OF
BELFALAS
REGION
A Fortress/Major City
o Town
:. Ruins
Il Port

STONE FIELDS
DESERT
- -
- - -

o 50 100mi
 Pirates of Pelargir™
1.0 GUIDELINES 5.0 ADVENTURE 3: INTO THE
1 .1 HANDLING PLAY ______ 2 MOONSTONE FORTRESS
1 .2 ADAPTING THE MODULE TO YOUR GAME 2 5 . 1 STARTING THE PLAYERS ------- 17
1 .21 Converting Hits and Bonuses 2 5.2 THE PLAYER CHARACTERS ------ 17
1.22 Conversion Chart 2 5.21 Selnoi the Wanderer. an Umli Warrior ----- 17
1 .3 PLAYER CHARACTERS 2 5.22 Beregond. a Gondorian Ranger _______ 17
5.23 Caranel. a Gondorian Bard ------- 17
2.0 INTRODUCTION
5.24 Forin. a Dwarf Scout ------- 17
2.1 GONOOR AND THE PIRATES OF PELARGIR____ 4 5.25 Nali. a Dwarvish Animist ------- 18
2.2 HISTORY OF A BELFALAS PIRATE 4 5.26 Teiglin, a Silvan Mage ______ 18
2.3 THE LAUGHING REAVER AND HIS CREW 5 . 5.3 THE NON-PLAYER CHARACTERS ______ 18
5.4 THE APPROACH TO THE FORTRESS 18
3.0 ADVENTURE 1: THE LADY GIL WEN
5.5 THE MOONSTONE FORTRESS LAYOUT 18
3.1 AT THE TIPSY TRITON IN FANUll.O
. ND ----- 7
5.6 THE ENCOUNTERS 29
3.2 THE PLAYER CHARACTERS 7 5.7 THE DANGERS AND OBSTACLES 31
3.21 Ormon. a Corsair Warrior 7
3.22 Hethlind. a Beorning Ranger 7 6.0 THE BEAST TABLE 32
3.23 Surion. a Dlinadan Bard 7
3.24 Indis. a Silvan Elf Scout 7 7.0 THE NPC TABLE 32
3.25 Brandir. a Gondorian Mage 8
3.26 Rozilan. a Black Nlimen6rean Animist 8
3.3 THE NON-PLAYER CHARACTERS 8 "Oh. the winds off the Red Cliff Coast are fine.
3.31 Hallatan of Pelargir 8 and the rocks and shoals ain't bad. boys.
3.32 Halmir of Pelargir 9 But if you sail that Red Cliff route.
3.33 Red Dorien 9 You'll wish you never had. boys!
3.34 Ragnir One-Eye 9 When you see that red flag fly.
3.35 Vandor 9 You'll wish you'd stayed ashore. lads -
3.4 THE TASK 9 And if you live through a Red Cliff raid.
3.5 THE ENCOUNTERS 9 you'll want to sail no more. lads!
3.5 1 A Sea Monster 10 For the raiders on Belfalas Bay are quick.
3.52 Pirates! 10 And their noses are keen for gold. mates -
So any fine merchant that sails that way
4.0 ADVENTURE 2: SEARCH FOR
Will return with an empty hold. mates! "
THE RAIDERS' HARBOR - Sea Chantey of Southern Gondor
4.1 STARTING THE PLAYERS _______ II
4.2 THE PLAYER CHARACTERS ______ II
4.21 Gelmir. a Gondorian Warrior _______ 12 CREDITS
4.22 Yezmin. a Haradan Ranger _______ 12
4.23 Amroth. a Noldo Bard Author: Ruth Sochard
12
4.24 Axor. a Corsair Scout 12 Editor: Coleman Charlton Series Editor: Peter C. Fenlon
4.25 Kiral. a Dorwinadan Animist 12 Cover Art: Angus McBride
4.26 Lyli. a Haradan Mage 12
Cover G raphics: Richard H. Britton
4.3 THE NON-PLAYER CHARACTERS 13
4.3 1 Haruth do Ramam 13 Interior Illustrations: Jim Holloway
4.32 Shamara sut Katub 13 Maps and Layouts: Carol Schultz
4.33 The Northern Girl Staff 13 Production: Coleman Charlton. John D. Ruemmler. Jessica
4.34 Syron Pathfinder 13 Ney. Mac
4.4 THE TASK 13
Special Contributions: Terry Amthor. Deane Begiebing.
4.5 THE EXPEDITION AND ENCOUNTERS 14
Karl Borg. John Breckenridge. Chris Christensen. Kathleen
4.5 1 Approach b y Land 14
Conner. Bill Covert. Bill Downs. Kurt Fischer. Bruce Neidlinger.
4.52 Approach b y Sea 16
Kurt Rasmussen. Larry Sims. Larry Taylor. Sterling Williams.
4.53 At the Fortress 16
Swinky.

Copyright 1987 C TOLKIEN ENTERPRISES, a division of ELAN MERCHANDISING, Inc., Berkeley, CA Pirates of Pelargir, The
Hobbit, and The Lord of the Rings, and all characters and places therein, are trademark properties of TOLKIEN ENTERPRISES.
Produced and distributed by IRON CROWN ENTERPRISES, Inc., P.O. Box 1605, Charlottesville, VA 22902. Stock # 8104
Second U.S. Edition, July 1 987. ISBN 0-915795-44-2
2 Guidelines

1.0 GUIDELINES 1.22 Conversion Chart

If you play something other than MERP or Rolemaster and
The Middle-earth Ready-to-Run Series is designed for you do not use a percentile system, use the following chart to
Gamemasters who want adventures which can be set up in a few convert 1 - 1 00 numbers to figures suited to your game.
minutes and played in a few hours. The adventures require l i ttle or
no preparation. 1-100 0100 D20 3-18 2-12
Pirates of Pelargir has four parts. Sections 1 . 1 and 1 .2 Stat Bonus Bonus Stat Stat
deal with guidelines regarding the use of the module. Section 1 .3
provides pregenerated characters for the player� l which can be 1 02+ +35 +7 20+ 1 7+
used as non-player characters if so desired). 101 +30 +6 19 1 5- 1 6
The third part consists of Sections 3.0. 4.0, and 5.0, the ad­ 1 00 +25 +5 18 1 3- 1 4
ventures. Each adventure stands on its own, although a common 98-99 +20 +4 17 12
theme unites the stories. They can be set anywhere in Middle­ 95-97 +15 +3 16
earth where the story seems appropriate. 90-94 +10 +2 15 II
The fourth part consists of the Beast and NPC tables. Area 85-89 +5 +1 14 10
maps are located on the inside of the front and back covers and 75-84 +5 +1 13 9
provide a blowup of the immediate region around the adventure 60-74 0 0 12 8
locations. 40-59 0 0 1 0- 1 1 7
25-39 0 0 9 6
1.1 Handling Play 1 5-24 -5 -I 8 5
Each adventure is geared for a different difficulty level. The one 1 0- 1 4 -5 -I 7 4
found in Section 3.0 is chal lenging for Ist or 2nd level char­ 5-9 -10 -2 6 3
acters, or inexperienced players. Section 4.0's adventure is aimed 3-4 -15 -3 5
at 2nd or 3rd level adventurers, while the adventure in Section 5.0 2 -20 -4 4 2
is designed for 4th or 6th level. characters. I -25 -4 4 2
The adventures are divided into five standard parts : ( I ) the tale,
which describes how to start in terms of the setting, the
1.3 Player Characters
background, and the plot; (2) the Player Characters , PCs; (3) the
Non-player Characters, NPCs. a person-by-person description of The following chart provides the statistIcs for the Player
the prominent non player characters, including their stats; (4) the Characters for each of the three adventures (see Sections 3.2, 4.2,
task. a discussion of how to start the adventure, along with the and 5.2). Statistics are given for both MERP and Rolemaster.
aids. clues. obstacles. and rewards awaiting the advent urers; and The GM may wish to assign his players a character or allow them
(5) encounters. which cover typical or probable meet ings between to select from the list. Of course, the GM can util ize the unus,ed
the adventurers and the NPCs. Adventure 3 (Section 5.0) also PCs as non-player characters. After all, the players may design
contains the primary layout: a level-by-Ievel, room-by-room their own characters or employ characters already in use.
description of the major adventure site ( Moonstone Castle), The GM should remember, however, that regardless of how the
complete with numbered diagrams, f1oorplans, and illustrations; players acquire their characters, each adventure is geared for a
The GM should skim each section of an adventure before different difficu l ty level (see Section 1 . 1 ). We suggest PCs tough
beginn ing play. Then he can have the players pick pre-designed enough to meet the challenge.
characters from those provided in Section 1 .3 (and described in
Sections 3.2. 4.2. and 5.2). or he can perm it the players to
design their own PCs. (Of course, the G M can assign PCs.) Codes: See the N PC stats (Section 7.0) for an explanation of
Once play ensues, the GM should refer to the Beasts and NPCs the basic codes. The following is a list of other codes and
in Sections 6.0 and 7.0, at the back of the module. They cover abbreviations which might be ambiguous.
the Beasts and N PCs found in each adventure.
Power Points: The number (if any) given in parentheses
1 .2 Adapting the Module to You r Game indicates the possession of a "bonus spell item" and its bonus
Like the rest of the series, this module is designed for use with . (see MERP, Section 4.56).
the Middle-earth Role Playing game (MERP) or the more
Skill Bonuses: NA, SL, RL, Ch = Maneuver and Movement in
advanced Rolemaster (RM) system, but is adaptable to most
other major FRP games. Statistics are expressed on a closed or No Armor, Soft Leather, Rigid Leather, and Chain; IHE OB, I HC
OB, 2H OB, Thrown OB, Missile OB, Polearm 08 = Offens ive
open-ended scale. using a 1 - 1 00 base and percentile dice (0 I 00).
No other dice are requ ired. Bonuses for I-H Edged, I - H Conc ussion, 2-Handed, Thrown,
Missile, and Pole-arms; Dir. Spell=Directed Spells; Secon. Skill=
1.21 Converting Hits and Bonuses Secondary Skills.
Bonuses: When converting percentile values to a 1 -20
system a simple rule is: for every +5 on a 0 1 00 scale you get a Secondary Skills: Each secondary skill is abbreviated by
+ 1 on a D20. giving the begining letters of the skill (MERP Section 2.33).
Hits: The concussion hit numbers found in this module only The bonus for that skill rank is given following the abbrev­
represent general pain and system shock. They cover bruises and iation.
small cuts rather than wounds. Critical strike damage is used to
describe serious wounds and fatal blows. The hit figures shown Languages: Languages are abbreviated by using their first three
here are less important than those used in game systems where letters (see MERP, ST- I ); exceptions: BS=B lack Speech and
death occurs as a result of exceeding one's available hits. Should Bet=Silvan(Bethteur). The rank for each language is given
you use a game system that employs no specific critical strike following the abbreviation.
results (e.g., TSR Inc.'s Dungeons and Dragons), simply double
the number of hits your characters take or halve the hit values Spell Lists: Spell lists are abbreviated by using the first few
found in this module. letters in each word of the spell list name; for example, "S/L
Ways" refers to the "Sound/Light Ways" spell list.
 NAME Onnon Indis Hethlind Rozilan Surion Brandir Gelmir Axor Yezmin Kiral Amroth Lyli Silnoi Forin Beregond Nali Camel Teiglin
...
f
Race: Corsair Silvlll1 Beoming BI.NCim. DiinIdIn Urban UJben Corsair H.-adan Darwin. NoIdor HaJ'IIdIm Umli Dwarf Rural Dwarf .... SilvIO
H!/Wt: 6/19S 6/140 5'ti1140 5'9/150 61/190 5'81165 SI1/180 6/170 5'81140 5'IWI65 6'2/175 5'2/105 S/130 4'4/125
SIWI80 4'2/120 SIl25 5'IWI20
Profession: Warrior Scout Ranger Animist BaJlI MaF Warrior Scout RInger An. Bard Mage WIIrior Scout Ran&er Animist ... Maae
I Lexel: 1 I I I 1 I 3 3 3 3 3 3 5 5 5 5 , 5
Hits: 42 32 57 30 69 75 54 50 46 52 41 103 83 80 78 71 ...
AT(DB): RL(35) RL(50) No(25) No(5) No(O)
34
No(5) RL(35) RL(45) RL(30) RL( 5) No(4O)* No(5) Ch(45) Ch(SO)RL(35) RL(25)
6T
No(5) No(25)
r
Shield: Y25 Y25 Y25 N N N Y30 Y25 Y30 N N N Y3S Y25 Y30 Y25 N N
g
It''
Power Points: 0 0 3(+1) _ 0 0 3 _ _ _ 0 10 15(+3) 30 15(�2)
..
-1_ 2(+2L_ 1 � &2L 6(+1� �
SIrength: 97 73 75 38 n 51 100 80 79 44 77 59 99 88 88 59 - 86 46
Agility: 78 97 59 78 63 n 88 96 67 76 61 83 93 98 85 8S 84 96
Constitution: 88 89 100 91 98 9S 92 92 96 96 94 8S 9S 91 99 97 98 100
Intelligence: 44 71 42 90 89 100 54 65 63 83 sp 98 (IJ 76 73 86 100 100
Intuition: 75 81 98 97 46 57 80 88 92 99 46 81 91 90 97 99 55 94
Presence: 62 32 36 76 98 52 70 SO 34 60 100 76 64 23 SO 82 98 52
�: 74 84 a 41 75 54 48 76 79 67 100 62 58 48 62 54 88 90
NA Mov M: 10 30 10 15 5 15 25 25 20 15 20 25 20 20 15 20 10 35 I
SL Mov M: x x x x x x x x x 0 x -5 10 x -5 x x x
RL Mov M: -5 10 x x x x 10 5 -5 0 x x 5 -5 5 5 o x
Ch Mov M: x x x x x x 0 x x ' x x x 0 0 -10 x x x
iiiE OB :- S3Ic - 26bs - 22iiS -2Ssc 411S - n;- 841s 58sc 5lae - lI. 331s 30sc -SOu 3Oss- 6SiiS x 6iiS lOlls
IHC 08 ' 'x lI. lI. lI. lI. lI. lI. lI. X � X x lOIIla 6Sha x 4Sba x lI.
2" 08: x x 17qs x x x 44ba x x x x x 4Sba x x X ]I. lI.
1brown 08 : 18da 36da 7da IOda x x x 28da 16da lOrack 23da Ucla 35ha 30da 30da Sda 20da x
MissiJe 08: 18cp 5l1b 12m 1Sc:p I l cp 20sb 29cp 33cp 16cp 3Sc:p 331b x � SOcp SOc:p ISsb 3Sc:p 60Ib
PoIe-ann 08 x x � x 16sp lI. X X � IQ!rP. lI. �_ X X � X lI. x
Climb: II 46 18 II 6 10 33 33 34 23 33 15 40 45 55 40 35 55
Ride: II 21 28 21 6 5 23 18 69 33 18 40 20 15 45 35 15 25
Swim: 31 41 18 21 II 10 33 48 39 23 33 20 35 20 55 -10 25 55
Track: x 6 28 ..!-.. _ x 40 x 13 29_-1.3 18 x 15 30 40 x 15 x
Ambush: I I I lI. lI. X 3 2 2 x X lI. 5 5 4 x I lI.
I
Stalk/Hide: 10 32 22 10 31 5 15 26 21 15 58 10 20 :zb 35 15 55 20
Pick Locks: x 7 x X lI. X x 31 x x 18 x 5 35 5 15 20 x
Disann Trans: 10 17 25 x {; 5 lI. 26 15 _x --...23_ x 15_ 40 ...20 _25 . 15 x
Read Runes: x 5 x 21 16 37 5 x x 18 28 41 x x x 25 35 65
Use Items: x x x 26 II 12 10 x x 28 28 26 10 x x 45 25 60
Directed Spells: x x x x x 13 x x x x x 29 x x x 20 10 70
Perception: 10 28 32 21 6 20 20 34 36 41 20 25 30 50 50 60 15 55
SCCO-W- :
O . Skills eathW3S Acroso FOnge6O-SailSO 'A'Ci'mgSO�Smi�' "TUinble4O Sail3)--Sgnao
l P
o iibliCS6S'RopeM4<JRowSO cave30�Weilt..W30 Cave30 "Mu3<IiiIP ACro45
I Secon . Skills Sail30 WoodC3O Sla!Q.lS Cook2O Trick30 Contonl S AcroIS SaUlO GamblelS FOI'!&e40 Mu20lute WeathW20 Cave20 Smithl5 LeathW20 RopeM2S RawlS Wood£40
Language: Ad05 BetS Atl l S "d05 WesS WesS Wes5 Ad05 HarS Log5 SinS Har5 Khul KhuS WesS Khu5 Wes5 Que2
Language: Har4 Sin5 NabS R ar5 Ad04 Har4 Har4 HarS Apy4 WesS Que5 Apy4 Lab2 Wes5 Har3 Sin3 Har4 SinS
Language: WesS Que2 Wes5 BS3 Sin4 Sinl AdOI Wes5 WesS Har4 Wes5 Wes5 Umi5 Har4 BetI Wes4 Bet3 Bet4
Language: Apy3 Wes4 Wai5 Wes5 Quel Apy2 Ad02 AdOI Har4 Ad03 Wes4 HarS BS2 WesS
Language: BS2 Bet3 Apy4 Har4 Bet2 BS2 BS3 Har3 Apyl
Language: BS2 Dun3
Spell LiltS: - N.Guises 81oodW. ,us piiitM . rHliiises BOOeJMu s
Spell LiSls: Surf.W. LoftyBr. SIL Wrtys Swf.W. laemL.
Spell LiSlS: BloodW. Ess.Pen: . CUnS. 8JoodW. UnbarW.
SpeU LiSls: Purif. Pby.Enh. UnbarW.
Spell Lists: CalmS. Ess.Hand

Note: For magic items and special possessions see the individual character descriptions in Sections 3.2, 4.2, and 5.2.
�
4 Introduction
2.0 INTRODUCTION
"It is well known to us that the sea roads off the Red Cliffs of
Haradwaith in the /Jay that the Northerners call Bela J las are in­
fested with Pirates and Pril'ateers. They are, of course, vermiIJous
scum. Bw they hal'e yet to imperil OLII' OWII shippinR and they
keep the Northerners from RaininR sea power in this reRion. Let
them raid, as IOIJR as our coffers stay full ol trade gold!"
- Borothor II of Umbar, addressing the other
Lords of the City of the Corsairs
2.1 Gondor and the Pirates of Pelargir
The year is 1 640 (Third Age). only a few years after the Great
Plag ue decimated orthem Middle-Earth. Brave merchants at­
tempting to bu ild up their businesses after the grim Plague Years
are increasingly tempted by the goods of the South lands. which
were almost unaffected by the disease. With every year. more
ships head south. using the advantageous trade winds to speed
them on their way to the rich ports: Ka s Shadoul. Kas Shafra. and
Asni Dat in the Haradwaith; Umbar, Haven of the Corsairs; and
perhaps even farther places. There the brave traders of Gondor
will sel l their wool. honey. wax. iron. timber, and other orthem
goods for the g old. gems. silk. spices. healing herbs, and other
fine goods of the South.
They are brave voyagers. as I have said. and so they must be.
The waters of Belfalas Bay are home to terrifying sea creatures of
various kinds, but the wildlife is not the greatest danger that
travel lers face on this sea road. The quickest route south. and the
safest from weather, l ies close to the Red Cliffs of the Harad­
waith. These towering walls of reddish sandstone are riddled with
deep gashes that the natives call "cuts." These openings are too
small for harbours and towns. but they are ideal for anchoring a
ship or two away from prying eyes. As if this were not enough to
tempt the wolves of the sea. there are chains of islets that also
form havens for those who do not need enough room for an
honest village or town. The numbers of the se pirates, privateers.
and reavers diminished along with Northern shipping, for wolves
cannot survive without prey to feed upon, but their fortunes rise
with those of the orth. and they are once more on the prowl.
2.2 History of a Belfalas Pirate
Less than 1 5 miles south of the small port town of Sook Od a
(see area map. inside front cover). there is a fortre ss. worn and in
some disrepair, but still a stronghold to be reckoned with. It was
built 1 00 years ago by a noble Haradan named Nashur do Hydar,
but he was killed in single combat over the possession of a
prized stallion (the horses of the Haradwaith are only surpassed
by those of Rohan). The victor. a Corsair named Red Orleg. soon
gained a reputation as a great leader of men and lover of order.
His troops soon made the region peaceful. and as Orleg was not a
Haradan. he was not involved in the common tribal wars that had
made such a sturdy fortress necessary in the first place.
The strength of thi s castle is not only in its strong walls and
tall towers. Above the main gate is a huge, magical gem,
translucent and pale blue-grey in color: a moonstone. Thi s stone.
I foot in diameter, sheds a magical aura on the wal ls so that they
resist damage by rams. by catapulted stones. or by sapping (+20
versus such attacks). In addit ion, anyone invading the fortress
(that is, anyone entering without speci fi c permission from
someone within the walls) will have his presence announced by
the raucous cal l , like that of some huge bird. For this reason, the
castle is called the Moonstone Fortress.
Now the fortress has fallen on more chaotic times. Orleg's
heirs did not inherit his virtues along with his property. The
reputation of the fortress remained, so the region is still peacefu l ,
but much o f t h e money and treasure that Orleg inherited from the
Haradan Nashur has been spent or gambled away. Orleg's
greatgrandson, Gedron, now holds the delapidated castle. So hard
were his fortunes 5 years ago that he was considering sel l ing the
magical gem. Thus the castle would have lost its most potent
defense. but for a fateful meeting.
During an autumn storm, a ship was wrecked below the section
of the Red Cliffs on which the Moonstone Fortress stands. As is
natural, all the folk of the fortress (yes, all nine of them - nine,
from a fortress that could shelter scores ! ) hurried down the steep
paths to the beach north of the castle to see what they could
salvage. There was l ittle of use to be found, and only one
survivor: a Black Numen6rean prisoner. who was not drowned
because he held onto the piece of t imber that had anchored the
chains to his leg irons.
This was Zokhad ir-Zorik, a former ship's commander of
Umbar. He had turned traitor to his lord in Umbar and had fled
northward, only to be captured off the coast of Tolfalas. The
wreck was the Umbar warship that was bringing him back to
stand trial and face certain death. Ironical ly. the doomed prisoner
was the only surviv or.
Zokhad, a cruel but intell igent man. was strong and hale. Yet
even a Dwarf wou ld be slow to recover from battle wounds, a
flogging, and then near-drowning. Gedron, fasc inated by his
guest, spent many of the weeks of Zokhad's convalescence
listening to the former commander's tales. In the h istory that
Zokhad told his young host, the commander was a wronged hero,
and the Lords of Umbar were ungrateful wretches or witless fools.
In turn, Gedron described his penn iless plight. Zokhad began to
consider the possibilities of this mighty castle. owned by an
unworldly young man who seemed easily influenced. At first, he
thought in tem1S of a land-based band of robbers, or perhaps a
protection racket. Later on. however, he was able to tour the
Moonstone Fortress and observe its other great feature: a secret
haven in a cavern below the cliffs and the castle, a hidden harbor
capable of holding two or three ships, if their masts were stepped
(temporarily removed) .
.
Zokhad promptly changed his plans. Indeed. he and h is young
protege must take to robbery afoot or on horseback at first, but
when enough funds were obtained, they might buy a ship. Thus
they managed to buy a smal l sailing ship of the type used for
coastal trading. which Gedron optimistically named the Bay
Eaglet. Zokhad knew, however, that a larger ship was needed t�
intimidate other vessels. Thus. on a foggy day in early spring the
next year, a small warsh ip of Umbar came upon a coastal trader in
trouble. She seemed to be li sting badly. and her captain (who
sounded very young) shouted that they had been attacked by
pirates' The Umbarite hauled alongside and grappled to. taking
the survivors aboard. The grateful victims brought along the
paltry remains of their cargo: several small casks of strong wine.
which they insisted that the ir rescuers accept. The mbar crew.
not at all reluctant once the ship was safely anchored in a small
cove. accepted.
The apparently sinking ship was, of course. the Bay Eaglet.
with her ballast d ra sti cally rearrranged by Zokhad, who knew well
just how much such a ship could stand. He also knew that the
captains of Umbar were a lway s instructed to rescue traders and
passengers who m ight have useful information about pirates or
Gondor. The young captain was Gedron, his crew were the best
Moonstone cutthroats, and the wine - was poisoned. Soon the
Umbarites were dead or dying, and the ship. which had been
fol lowed at a di stance by the Bay Eaglet. was Gedron's - and
Zokhad's. It was renamed the Master Seawolf.
The two pirates soon gathered a crew of experienced and
morally depraved sailors to augment their landlubber bandits.
Gedron, who was thoroughly enjoy ing his l ife of crime, soon
grew to relish raids. Their tactics have fallen into a pattern
(although no one but they themselves have seen it often enough
to detect it). While the Bay Eaglet. commanded by one of their
lesser captains, scouts for prey, the Master Seawolf bides her
time out of sight. '.Vhen a victim is sighted, the former warship
.
swoops 111, rowed Uust as she had been when her business was
legitimate) by strong slaves, and grapples with the target.
Z� khad handles the seamanship, and Gedron, his face shining
WIth glee, always leads the boarding parties himself. It's not
surprising that all the ports of H aradwaith have heard of the
Laughing Reaver.
The Laughing Reaver and His Crew
Justice in Haradawaith is somewhat haphazard by Northern
standards. It is based on strong proof of injury, either some
authority of the government (ranging from princes through
governers to city or provincial guards) witnessing the crime or
by at least two other witnesses submitting to a magical exam­
ination by a Truth-seer, who is usually a priestess of Kesht,
goddess of truth and justice. In addition, Haradrim have a
somewhat fatalistic view of fate and feel that people will get what
they deserve in the end. They also do not believe in questioning
others too closely about their everyday business. In view of all
�his, and the fact that most pirates prey upon northern vessels, it
IS perhaps not so startling that Gedron can ride quite openly into
Sook Oda to sell (or spend) his loot. As long as his behavior is
exemplary in town and no one comes forward to volunteer as
witness against him, Gedron is greeted with nothing worse
sidelong glances of anger or contempt, and some of the young
men even admire him. He has gained some followers this way.
To resupply themselves with oarsmen and necessities such as
food, Gedron and Zokhad had originally intended to depend on the
ships that they raided. This soon proved impractical, for it was
necessary to kill every man of a ship's crew to gain the time to
remove so much. Another plan was necessary. Thus Gedron let
out word that travellers along the coast road could stop at the
Moonstone Fortress for the night. Some of the caravans disap­
pear shortly after leaving. This produces a fair amount of goods
and some number of new slaves, but supplies are needed in such
quantities that some of them must be bought legitimately - or
caravans would soon avoid a stop at the Moonstone Fortress. Of
course, lone travellers and wandering shepherds often disappear in
the VICInity of the castle, to be pressed into a new and unful­
filling career as galley slaves.
Zokhad
5
2.3 The Laughing Reaver and His Crew
Gedron Moonstone (The Laughing Reaver)
Now 27 years old, Gedron appears deceptively boyish and
friendly. He is tall (6 ft 2 in.) and has grey eyes and wavy brown
hair; these features, along with his grin, have attracted many
local girls, even though Haradan lasses are not encouraged to pay
any attention to men (except for their husbands, who are chosen
by the girls' fathers). In reality, Gedron has become quite blood­
thirsty. He enjoys slaughter, and Zokhad has encouraged him in
brutality. His laughter is more maniacal than it is amusing.
Gedron uses a handsome + IS broadsword in battle. Like most
sea raiders, he must go lightly armored, but his rigid leather
breastplate gives him an additional defensive bonus of 1 0, and its
matching leather cap protects his head as if he was wearing a
steel helmet. A pair of black leather gaunlets enable him to climb
rigging and the sides of ships with the skill of a talented cat
burgler (+ 1 5 to climbing maneuvers). He has a mortal fear of
enchantments and so wears an amulet of gold and ruby that gives
him a bonus of + I 0 versus spells of Essence. He likes gaudy
clothing and jewelry: he has a 20% chance of wearing any of his
many pieces of jewelry at any time he is seen in public (see the
description of his bedroom in Section 5 . 5 for a list).
Zokhad ir-Zorik
Zokhad is actually 62 years old, but the long lifespan of a
Black Numen6rean is his, so he appears no more than 40. Even
taller than Gedron, and more muscular, the ex-commander cuts an
impressive figure as he stalks the deck of the Master Seawolf
(which he considers to be actually his, no matter what he tells
Gedron). His eyes are a cold, clear grey, very startling in his
deeply tanned face, and his hair, worn plaited into many braids,
is a dull black and never curls. He has little patience with others,
except for Gedron. His forbearance toward his protege would seem
to be a redeeming weakness, but in actuality, Zokhad feels that he
has only to wait for the reckless Gedron to be killed in a raid,
leaving Zokhad in charge of the two ships and the Moonstone
Fortress. Meanwhile, he bides his time and enjoys the slaughter
from afar, as he dares not risk news of his continued existence
arriving in Umbar until his new fleet is strong enough to
withstand a raid from his old enemies. To this end, he hopes to
capture other warships soon, or even buy a new ship.
Zokhad favors black clothing and armor: a recent acquisition is
a breastplate of black dragonskin, which protects him as if it
were steel plate, although it weighs no more than rigid leather. A
mithril headband adorns his head and protects him as if it were a
helmet. His + 1 5 handaxe is Dwarfwork from the north. Around
his neck on a mithril chain is a priceless artifact: an Amulet of
Sea-mastery from Numenor. This large aquamarine, set in silver
and engraved with runes, allows its owner to predict the weather
for 24 hours ahead with 99% accuracy, to always know true north,
and to detect obstacles beneath the water to a depth of 100 feet.
It operates continually, serving its wearer as an extra set of
senses. Only 1 5 of these amulets were ever made, and the
locations only six of these are currently known (Cirdan the Elven
Shipwright has one).
The Pirate Lieutenants
Ulbor is the best of the four qualified ship's captains that
Gedron and Zokhad have persuaded to join them. He is a black­
haired, green-eyed Corsair, rather homely but immensely strong
and with a good sea-eye. He has no desire to lead but is content
with being essentially the captain of the Bay Eaglet, for he has a
good home ashore, with a friendly girl to warm his bed and
plenty of wine when he wants it. Fortunately, he doesn't drink at
sea. His weakness is dice, and he usually loses his share of the
loot within days of receiving it. Zokhad has (fortunately) forbid­
den gambling for basic equipment, so Ulbor still has his +5
sword (it is +20 versus Giants and Trolls, but Ulbor has never
seen either), his +5 dagger, his +5 DB leather breastplate, and his
amulet of fog-sight (allows wearer to see through fog as if it
wasn't there for I hour).
6 The Laughing Reaver and His Crew

Ka/dir is also a good ship's captain but is quarrelsome and for this tresspass, but upon questioning him. Zokhad decided that
obnoxious. Zokhad has often considered having an accident this particular intruder was more useful alive. Although Dulo is
arranged for Kaldir. The man is a Corsair, but he has some mixed hot-tempered and rough, he does not really feel good about his
blood that has made him a red-head, and he is very sensitive current occupation and only sticks with it because he knows that
about it. The last crewmember to comment on it was abandoned the authorities are looking for him. He frequently gets into
10 miles off the coast after a brutal flogging (Kaldir claims that trouble with his current comrades by being "soft" about things
the man was punished for insubordination). Kaldir longs to have like torturing rebellious slaves as an example to the others. He
sole command of a pirate ship of his own and is currently being fights with a +10 mace, wears a leather breastplate +S, and
kept more or less in line with promises of the command of the treasures his most recent acquisition: a shell trumpet that
Bay Eaglet when there is a larger ship for Ulbor. Kaldir fights summons a favorable wind for S hours when blown. This mar­
with a + 15 sword that he took in personal combat with a velous device can be used only once per full moon.
Gondorian ship guard. His leather breastplate is +S, and his Other Inhabitants of the Moonstone Fortress
helmet protects him from head criticals 2S% of the time. Numa is Gedron's current infatuation, a dancer from a tavern in
Sook Oda. She thinks that Gedron is very handsome and was
impressed with his wealth when he came to her old workplace,
the Three Diamonds Tavern. so it did not take much to pursuade
'
her to come with him to his "palace" (as he called it). She was
told that she would be mistress of the Moonstone Fortress, but
the reality is quite different. Gedron often beats her, she has no
servants (as promised) unless she can persuade one of the other
skivvies to lend a hand, and the fortress is dirty and unpleasant
to live in, even without Gedron's attentions. She would happily
leave, but she knows that a clean getaway is nearly impossible
and that if she failed in her attempt, Gedron would cheerfully
(literally!) kill her, for she knows too much. She bides her time
and amuses herself by exploring the fortress when Gedron and the
others are at sea. Numa is a Haradan: she is small (5'1") and has
wavy black hair, deeply tawny skin. and brown eyes. To Haradan
eyes, she is pretty enough, but a Northerner would find her either
very ugly or beautifully exotic, depending on viewpoint.
Emuna SUI Ka/ik is a rather powerful but somewhat demented
mage who was chased from her tribe with stones and curses when
it became known that she was using various tribesmen as subjects
for her magical experiments. Volatile of temper but easily
managed with flattery and gifts of gaudy jewelry, Emuna feels that
she has gone up in the world by becoming the personal mage of
such powerful lords. A scrawny Northern Haradan woman in her
late SOs, she is well on her way to becoming a terrifying old
crone. The apprentice pirates are terrified of her, as is Sofan
(whom she despises as a weak town-dweller), but the older raiders
treat her with cautious respect and sometimes take her on raids to
provide magical terror for their prey. Numa respects the old lady'
for her powers but finds her rather revolting; nevertheless. the
Haradan respect for the elderly leads Gedron's unwilling girlfriend
to treat Emuna with courtesy at all times, and the hag has some
affection for the former dancer. Emuna despises the other slave
Kaldir girls and has ferocious shouting matches with the Cook. The
crazy mage's most prized possession is a headband of gold set
Ingar is another Black Numen6rean. He was flogged and left with an "eye" made of ivory and turquoise, with a jet pupil. This
for dead in the small port of Sook Oda after being drunk on watch somewhat disturbing ornament acts as a +2 spell adder. gives
aboard the Umbar tradeship whose Second Mate he was. Zokhad Emuna a IS bonus on her DB. and protects her head as if it were a
has promised to finish the job this time if Ingar does the same helmet. She uses it to anchor her gaudy headscarf. The mage has a
aboard the Master Seawolf. and has come close several times +10 dagger and a black wood walking stick (+S quarterstaff).
already. When sober. Ingar is a handsome man, with the black Sofan do Solan is a healer (animist) who was left staked out in
hair and grey eyes typical of his race. but he is usually soused the desert for agreeing to help a young man poison his lover's
when he is not on duty and resembles a large drowned rat. He can husband (the youth was beheaded. and the wife was burned at the
be an admirable seaman (when sober) and is very grateful to stake). A caravan discovered him and. believing his story of
Zokhad in spite of the dire threats to his person. Rather amoral. involvement in a tribal disagreement. took him along to their
Ingar does not care what his job involves as long as he can drink next stop. the Moonstone Fortress. Noting that there was no
when ashore. He owns a + 10 spear, a +S leather breastplate, and a physician at the castle. Sofan talked his way into employment
+S sling. None of these items has seen combat recently. for Ingar there (Gedron was highly amused at Sofan's lyrical descriptions of
is basically a coward. the advantages of having a doctor). He was somewhat dismayed
Du/o is a Haradan. a small (S' 7") man with tightly curled when he discovered the true nature of his job but philosophically
black hair and beard, dark brown eyes, and brown skin. He used noted that his big mouth had gotten him into trouble again and
to command a small coastal trader out of the port of Kas Shafra, he had better make the best of it. Unusually talkative for a
but he ran into bad financial difficulties and had his ship Haradan, he has often provoked Zokhad into threatening to
impounded by local authorities. He worked for a brief while as a remove his tongue. but the crew find his wild tales very funny.
crewman on a larger ship but got into a fight with the captain Sofan is also tall for a northern Haradan (5' I I"). He has a wild
and unwisely killed the man. Facing death by stoning for this mop of curly black hair and dark brown eyes and skin. Ulbor
crime, he escaped on a small boat and was washed into the secret recently presented him with a small +5 dagger. and Zokhad has
harbor of the Moonstone Fortress one night. He was nearly killed made sure than the doctor in the house has a x2 rnultipler amulet.
The Lady Gilwen
3.0 ADVENTU R E 1 :
TH E LADY G I LWEN
3 . 1 A t the Tipsy Triton in Fan u i lond
The harbor town of Fanuilond in southern Gondor is often the
last stop for coastal traders heading south. Near the myriad
islands and sand bars of the Mouths of Anduin, Fanuilond is a
hum id, mosqui to-infested place that neverthless remains popular
with sailors and captains alike because of the quality of the fruit
and wine produced in the region imediately north of the town.
Some of the best wine is served at the Tipsy Triton, a small,
cheerfully grimy inn near the docks.
The Tipsy Triton is a good place to pick up news, be it gossip
or the possibility of a job, so its tables are lined with out-of­
work sailors, local and foreign merchants, and townsfolk who
like good sea chanteys, fine tales, and great wine. On this day in
late spring, 1 640, the innkeeper, Lady Bereth, is pleased to note
the annual return of the merchant Hallatan of Pelargir.
"Aye, Bereth my lass," says the stout, middle-aged merchant to
the equally stout and middle-aged innkeeper. "The usual trip south
' " but I've more to worry me this year. They say that the raids
off the Red Cliff Coast grow worse each season. Here in Fanui­
lond, I hope to get not only my usual stock of wine, but some
strong-hearted lads and lasses to keep an eye out for these cursed
pirates and perhaps even fight off the sea wolves, if need be."
Bereth turns to the rowdy revelers at the tables. "AII right, my
hardy children! You've heard the good captain's tale. You've been
talking very big about the fights you've fought, but I wager the
only thing most of you have wrestled lately is a full wineskin!
Here's a chance to prove yourselves! Will you not sail with the
master of the Lady Gilwen? He's an honest old rogue, a fair
master, and generous with them that deserve it. I daresay you
could all make your fortunes with him!"
FIRST LEVEL BELOW DECKS MAIN DECK LEVEL
Whipslaff ___
DI
Hatch
Passenger or
Siores/Cargo{on noor.
Supercargo
sailors' hammock
hanging from the ceiling) • Thus he could later help keep an eye on the plans of the Enemy
Water Barrels .ro....I!4"'
.. ..
LOWER HOLD
Ballast
ffi
UPPER LEVEL
OF THE STERN CASTLE
More cabi
Cargo/Walcr
Mes!.
Barrels
Caplain\
Workroom
LADY GILWEN DECK PLANS
7
3.2 The Player Characters
First-level player characters (PCs) should be adequate for the
task of guarding Hallatan's ship - as long as the PCs think
quickly! Six likely would-be adventurers are waiting work at the
Tipsy Triton this evening:
3.21 Ormon, a Corsair Warrior
Ormon's parents despaired of him at an early age because he
didn't understand that Corsairs are supposed to have dignity and
pride, rather than a desire to tell bad jokes and sing songs about
lovers dying for each other. He signed on a Corsair trade ship
last autumn and got off with a bad case of influenza at Fanuilond.
Since then, he has served as a bouncer at the Tipsy Triton. He
has saved 24 gp from his wages and gambling, but now he wants
to return to sea.
Ormon is a tall, powerfully built youth of 19 with a lively
sense of humor and a taste for sentimental ballads. He is also
fairly good-looking, with green eyes and black hair, and has been
popular with the barmaids. His most treasured possession is the
+ I 0 scimitar that his favorite uncle gave him when he turned 16.
3.22 Hethlind, a Beorning Ranger
Hethlind guided a party of Dwarves south to Fanuilond with a
load of fine weapons for shipment south. In exchange for this,
the leader of the Dwarven band gave her a silver bracelet that
allows her to become invisible for up to 24 hours, once per day.
She has spent most of her money on room and board at the Tipsy
Triton while exploring the town and is down to 5 gpo With no
other work in the offing and an adventurous spirit (after all, she
is far from home), she would probably love a sea voyage. She
could quickly learn to use her star-gazing skills for navigation.
Hethlind, 20 years old, has reddish blond hair, grey eyes, and a
friendly smile, but she is not pretty. Rather, she exudes an air of
cheerful practicality.
3.23 Surion, a Dunadan Bard
Surion has been travelling to get some knowledge of the
Southern lands for his kinsmen and came south to Fanuilond as
part of a group of travell ing players! He had meant just to guide
them and play background music for their shows, while checking
Stecnnan's
Position out the area, but soon he was acting minor parts. When they went
on west, he stayed in Fanuilond to report to his Aunt Nuneth,
who recommended that he head south to learn the Haradaic
language more thoroughly and experience the ways of the people.
First Male
•
in the southern lands. Surion has been coming to the Tipsy
Deck Triton for the past week in search of a likely ship.
Surion recently celebrated his 2 1 st birthday. He is not very tall
• for a Dunadan but has the typical sternly handsome face, dark
hair, and grey eyes of his race. He can be subtly humorous and is
very interested in the music and art of other lands. He has a + 1 5
longsword that was handed down to him by his great-granduncle.
3.24 Indis, a Silvan Elf Scout
Indis came to Fanuilond out of curiosity: she wanted . to see the
ocean, and followed a party of travellers who said that they were
going there. She is very shy and was teased a great deal by the
human travellers but is beginning to develop a sense of humor
about it all. An opportunity to actually travel on the ocean would
suit her very well.
Indis is a very young Elf, only 1 6, and is quite pretty to
human eyes, although other Elves consider her rather ordinary.
She has dark brown hair and grey eyes and seems very tall to
human beings (the travellers called her "Beanpole"). Her + I 0
broadsword was made for her by her father, a skilled craftsman,
10
from whom she also learned the rudiments of woodcarving. She is
20 very agile and likes to climb and do acrobatics.
50
8 The Player Characters

3.25 Brandir, a Gondorian Mage

Brandir is a city boy from Pelargir who was in training there
as the apprentice of a very bad-tempered old Mage named Gelfan.
Gelfan was a very demanding master and had a strong arm and a
hard hand, as Brandir had good reason to know. Of course.
Brandir did not exactly try to keep the peace: he had a penchant
for building elaborate structures designed to dump water on his
master's head while he was studying scrolls or to open creaky
doors mysteriously in the dead of night. After one beating too
many for Brandir's taste, the apprentice ran off. taking with him
the + I spell adding amulet ( i t is in the form of a bronze ring with
a coral bead, carved with tiny runes, set it in) that he was
supposed to have at the end of his apprenticeship. Brandir is
convinced that the old Mage w i l l track him down here in Fanui­
.
. . .....--- .
. . .
lond and would love to go far away - the further. the better.
.. .
. .
-- Brandir is only of average height and is a little heavy: he is
'

GONDORIAN COASTAL MERCHANTMAN
Basic fonn of the Lady Gilwen
HARADAN COASTAL MERCHANTMAN
Basic fonn of the Bay Eaglet
trying to grow a beard by way of disguise. but as he is only IX.
i t is not growing very fast. He is brown-haired and brown-eyed
and very cynical. Many nights of sneaking out of his locked. cell­
l ike room at Gelfan's house have made him very good at
wriggling through small openings (in spite of his size).
3.26 Rozilan, a Black Numen6rean Animist
Rozilan was supposed to marry a minor noble of Gondor as
part of a private (and i l legal) trade agreement between the man's
household and hers, a wealthy merchant fam ily from the northern
territories of Umbar. She was to have tried to pass as half
Dunadan, half Haradan. The noble died after being thrown from
his horse a week before the wedding. and his fam i ly (who had
been getting cold feet over the whole idea anyway) packed
Rozilan off with only the clothes on her back and a small purse
of gold (35 gp). She has no intention of going back to her
family ( after all, they had agreed to this silly schemel but is
getting somewhat homesick for the South.
Rozilan is fairly tal l . with black hair, grey eyes. and darkly
tanned skin; she will soon turn 19. She is very intelligent and
energetic; now that she is free of family obligations, she is
determined not to waste any time in seeing things of interest as
she travels, before she decides where to settle down. Her dowry
from her fam ily incl uded a rod of ebony, inlaid with silver wire in
curling patterns, that al lows her to use any one of the fol lowing
spells once per day: Minor Vessel repair ("Blood Ways"). Minor
Nerve repair ("Organ Ways"), Minor Fracture Repair ("Bone/
Muscle Ways"), Muscle Repair ( "Bone/Muscle Ways"), or
Carlilage Repair ( " Bone/Muscle Ways").

3.3 The Non-Player Characters

3.31 Hallatan of Pelargir
A shrewd, tough man in his late 40s, Hallatan has a rotund
figure that belies his sturdy nature. He is somewhat stem to his
crew, who nevertheless admire him for his keen nose for profit
and his generosity to those who work wel l for him. He bought
the merchant ship Lady G i l wen (which he renamed for his wife)
with the profits he saved from jobs as navigator and captain on
the ships of other men, rich merchant princes who would rather
stay ashore and let hardier souls do the work of sai l ing the seas.
That was 1 5 years ago, and Hallatan has hardly had a bad season
since. The only exception was the Plague Year, when he lost
nearly half his crew to the disease, along with his only daughter.
Since then, he has been somewhat quieter and not as quick w i th
either a joke or a curse. He dotes on his remaining children, his
two sons Halmir and G i lmon, and on his new daughter-in-law,
Halmir's wife Dorien. The captain is not particularly tall and has
greying dark hair and eyes of a rather unnerving light hazel
shade, almost yellow.

COASTAL RAIDER
Basic fonn of the Master Seawolf

SHIP TYPES
The Non-player Characters 9

3.32 Halmir of Pelargir male pes and one for the females: these are the cabins labeled
Very much the son of his father, Halmir is also quick-witted "passenger or supercargo" (a supercargo is someone in charge of
and strong, but he is more cheerful of disposition than Hallatan a specific cargo) and "navigator" (since the second mate is also
and rarely gets angry. When he does, however, he is truly a force the navigator this time) on the diagram. Because of Dorien's
with which to reckon. Tall and dark of hair and eye, he is 24 presence, Halmir no longer shares his cabin with Vandor: the
years old and erves as his father's second mate and navigator. animist now bunks with the first mate, which does not make
There is only one thing about which he is not very sensible: his either of them happy.
new wife, Dorien. He is hopelessly in love with her and gives her The pes will not be expected to work on daily tasks aboard
whatever she wishes. Against Hallatan's better judgment, the ship; however, they will find that the sailors and other crew­
happy couple has pursuaded the captain to take them both along members will be more friendly if the new "guards" decide to lend
on this voyage. a hand. The skills that they learn this way may prove useful to
the pes later.
3.33 Red Dorien
Red hair is rare enough among the folk of southern Gondor
that Dorien's flaming plaits have awarded her the obvious nick­
name. Fortunately, she doesn't really have the temper to match,
but she does have the expected freckles (not too many, fortu­
nately) and blue eyes. A bright and attractive girl, 18 years old,
she was raised sensibly enough unt i l the Plague Year, when all of
her siblings died. Her parents, broken-hearted, proceeded to spoil
their remaining child. Before this, it had been intended that
Dorien should study to be a bard when she was old enough (she
has musical talent), but after the death of the other children, she
was no longer made to work hard at it. Her new husband's extreme
love for her and her father-in-Iaw's affection have completed the
process, and now Dorien expects everything to go her way. She
never resorts to tantrums, having learned that honey catches more
flies than vinegar does. She is still very clever and interested in
the world, as well as willful and hard to control.

3.34 Ragnir One-Eye

First mate of the Lady Gilwen, Ragnir lost his left eye to an
infection that set in during the Plague. He has regained almost all
of his quickness and coordination by now, however. Of moderate
height, wiry, with dark hair and grey eyes, he has a ferocious
scowl most of the time and usually plays the "tough guy" to the
captain's "nice guy" in disciplinary situations. For instance, if a
sailor must be whipped for a serious lapse of some sort, Ragnir
wields the whip, rather than Hallatan (this rarely happens).
Ragnir is not at all cruel, however: rather, he is very stern and
constantly anticipates trouble. On the other hand, when the ship
is safely anchored, he also likes to have a glass of wine and to
tell wonderful tales of the faraway lands he has visited.

3.35 Vandor
This animist serves as ship's doctor, as well as predicting the
weather for the captain and keeping track of any perishable or
live items that may be part of the cargo. Vandor is 26 years old
and came from Lamedon, originally. He was in Pelargir a few
years ago and was fascinated with the sea and the ships. Hallatan
saw his interest and let him sign on as a sailor with the Lady
Gilwen. The captain was horrified at the end of the voyage to find
out that he had hired an animist of some skill as a common
sailor! Vandor, however, was delighted with the experience (even
if it did give him many new callouses) and asked to stay on as
permanent crew. The animist is pretty good friends with Halmir
but is wary of Dorien: he considers her (accurately) to be
unpredictable and a possible hazard the the captain's reputation.
Vandor is tall and lanky, with sandy hair and grey eyes.
3.4 The Task
If the player characters take Hallatan up on his offer, he will
hire them for the fee of 30 gp apiece for the voyage (considering
that a common laborer is lucky to see the equivalent of 5 or 6 gp
a year, this isn't bad). Note that the captain will not hesitate to
take Southerners because he is a sensible man and knows that not
all Southerners are pirates; anyway, Southerners who are spending
some time in Gondor are probably not all bad (Hallatan rarely
thinks of political activities, such as spying).
The Pes will not have luxurious accommodations, but they will
not be expected to sleeps in below-decks hammocks like the
common sailors, either. One small cabin will be provided for the
Ingar
3.5 The Encounters
The GM will not roll for encounters on this ship voyage.
Instead, there will be two definite encounters. as described below.
The voyage will be relatively uneventful for the first few days.
but roll for weather. All of the pes have good constitutions, so
they shouldn't get seasick, but if the weather is rough, check
anyway: seasickness "attacks" as a level 2 i llness and causes -50
to all actions due to nausea for at least 1 5 to 42 hours ( 12 +
3d I 0). If the RR failure was by 1 5 or more, a -25 incapacitation
continues for as long as the victim is at sea. The Lady Gilwen
will anchor offshore at night because the rocks and shoals along
the shore make night sailing hazardous. The prevailing winds at
this time of year are favorable, so the first day's travel should
take the ship to the cape near Harlond (see map) and the second
day to near Nen Falastir. Hallatan will not put into port at either
place unless there is a horrible storm (and even then, there is a
60% chance that he will decide that the shoals are too dangerous
and instead head out to sea and anchor there with a sea anchor:
it's safer). The GM is urged to consider carefully whether there
should be a storm, even if the weather roll indicates one. This is
potentially a very dangerous situation and the pes will not be
able to do much to improve things, which is not very fair and
will not allow them to earn much EP. It will also be slow to run.
10
3.51 A Sea Monster
On the third day of the voyage, as the ship passes the vague
border between Southern Gondor and the Haradwaith (and as the
PCs are getting restless . . . ), in the waters near the Haradwaith
town of Has Adri (although some 15 miles from shore), a diver­
sion occurs. The Lady Gilwen is, at this point, crossing the Adri­
Lot Deep, an arm of deep water that extends from the ocean. A
sailor cries "Ulmo save us ! " and points to the port rail, where
several large tentacles are writhing across the deck. "A Kraken!"
shouts Hallatan. "Your blades, my warriors! Quickly, before it
splits us open like an oyster shell !"
The deep-sea Kraken rarely venture this close to shore, but the
Deep provides this one with the space to do so. The Kraken is
almost as long as the Lady Gilwen and obviously knows that
edibles are to be had if the ship can be crushed or broken open. If
a tentacle comes in contact with anything that moves like a
living creature, the gigantic Kraken will pull in that limb, taking
the unfortunate victim with it (of course, the Kraken must make a
succcessful Grapple attack to do so). If the Kraken takes up to
one third of its total hit points, it will give up.
If the Kraken scores an appropriate Crush on the ship and
causes it to break open, it will grab 5 to 10 victims (again, it
must Grapple for each victim) and make off at high speed. When
it gets at least I mile away, it will stop to eat its prey. The
remaining survivors at the wreck site must make their way ashore
as best they can. Wish them luck! Fortunately, the waters here­
abouts are not infested with sharks.
A Kraken
The Encounters
3.52 Pirates!
When the Lady Gilwen is beginning to change course near the
cape of Ras Oda to enter the deep bay known as the Harnun Oat,
the Bay Eaglet will pass them at a distance and will be noted, if
at all, as a Haradan coastal trader or large fishing vessel. An hour
or two later, as the Lady Gilwen begins the awkward business of
sailing with a crosswind, the Master Seawolf will begin to pull
alongside, flying the red flag of the Belfalas Pirates. The Bay
Eaglet will cut across the bow of the Lady Gilwen and attempt to
prevent the Gondorian ship from proceeding. Meanwhile, the
Master Seawolfs crew, led by Gedron, will attempt to grapple the
ships together and board the Lady Gilwen.
Hallatan's crew will, of course, try to fight off the boarding
party and prevent the grappling attempt. Each ship's crew has
archers that will attempt to cover their comrades who are engaged
in the ticklish operations of grappling and preventing grappling.
If the raiders succeed in getting on board, they will try to
incapacitate (but not necessarily kill) all crew members with
weapons. This will include the PCs. The pirates' principal targets
for looting will be the cabins (where they will find Hallatan's
fairly primitive secret compartment easily). If no good loot is
found there, only then will they try the hold. They will also take
a few strong-looking sailors who are uninjured or have only
minor injuries as galley slaves. Finally, Dorien's red hair and
good looks will make her a prime target: many lords of Umbar or
even farther south would pay good money for such an unusual and
pretty slave girl (Hethlind the PC, who also has reddish hair, is
unlikely to be a target for this, as she is not very pretty). Dorien
will struggle but she is not very large or strong and is not likely
to escape. Unless the PCs and crew prevent it, Halmir's new bride
will be carried onto the Master Seawolf, kicking and screaming
the entire way. With her will go the contents of Hallatan's safe
and anything else that the raiders can grab.
While the pirates are on the ship, they will slash as many
ropes as possible and attempt to cripple the rudder so that the
Lady Gilwen cannot follow them when they make their escape. If
the pirates get clean away, the remaining crew and PCs will have
from 1 2 to 32 hours' worth of work just to get the ship moving
again. Even then, Hallatan (or whoever is left in command after
the fight) will not attempt to get to Kas Shadoul, far down in the
Harnun Oat, as he had orginally planned, but will instead set sail
for Sook Oda, which is much smaller and far nearer.
The PCs may, if they dare, attempt to follow the raiders onto
the Master Seawolf. Of course, the pirates have guards to prevent
it. The GM is advised to prevent the PCs at all cost from getting
onto the ship if it will result in the party being split in half (a
split party is a very difficult situation to referee). If the entire
. party goes on board at once, they will probably be fought into
submission (they are quite outnumbered). Logic would seem to
dictate that the tougher-looking PCs be retained as galley slaves
or worse. However, in the interests of the game structure and
further adventures, it would be better to have their uncon-scious
bodies thrown into the water if there are enough crew left on the
Lady Gilwen to rescue them, or otherwise thrown back onto the
Lady Gilwen's deck, along with jeering comments about " Leave
the kids at home next time! " and "These 'uns are too scrawny;
we're throwing them back ! " The w ithin-the-game logic in this is
that the PCs ( I ) will probably too badly injured in the battle to
use as slaves right away (and the raiders aren't going waste any
healing on slaves) and (2) are too cantankerous to be much use as
slaves anyway.
Even if the pirates are fought off, Hallatan will put into Sook
Oda to report the attempt and to reward his brave crew and guards
for the victory by letting them have a night on the town. In
either case, victorious and drunk or beaten and drunk, the PCs and
the younger members of Hallatan's crew (Vandor and, if Dorien
has been carried off, Halmir) will end up in the Northern Girl, the
friendliest tavern for Northerners in Sook Oda.
Search for the Raider's Harbor
4.0 ADV. 2 : SEARCH FOR
TH E RAI D E RS' HARBOR
The Haradwaith coastal town of Sook ada ("ada's Market,"
names after its first Hetman, or mayor) is abuzz with the news of
the latest offense by the Laughing Raider: an attack on the Gon­
dorian merchantman Lady Gilwen. The ship's master, Hallatan of
Pelargir. holds forth in the Northern Girl tavern soon after he
comes as ho re. telling of the pirates' bold attaek on his ship.
4.1 Starting the Players
What exactly Hallatan says will depend on whether your PCs
played through the first adventure. If they did, then you may
already know what Hallatan will say! For some suggestions one
way or the other, see below.
IF THE LADY GIL WEN LOST TO THE RAIDERS
If you didn't run Adventure I , read through that material to get
the background and then run this adventure as if the Lady Gilwen
survived the attack by the Kraken but lost the battle with the
pirates. Thus most of Hallatan's gold and valuables and his
daughter-in-law Dorien are now in the hands of the Laughing
Raider and his scurvy crew.
Ulbor
"Two ships ! " bellows Hallatan. "Two of the plaguey things
against my own wee ship! My lads are brave, but they're not
warriors! All my gold gone, aye, and the Elven jewels that the
Talaf Mymun ordered last autumn, but that is not what grieves
me! They have stolen my daughter-in-love, my son's wife Dorien !
Even now she may be on her way to some desert cheftain's
harem! Alas, the poor darling! All she wanted was to view the
sights of the Haradwaith, curse me for a fool that I wished to
indulge her in it! "
Hallatan's son Halmir sits near his father, his head i n his
hands, tears running unheeded down his tanned face. His animist
11
friend Vandor sits nearby, unable to think of anything comfort­
ing to say. Ragnir, the one-eyed first mate, is scowling more
ferociously than ever and cursing steadily under his breath. The
surviving sailors of the Lady Gilwen mope about, heads hang­
ing. What could a sailor do against pirates? A pirate raid isn't a
bar fight! Yet they feel that they should have done more.
NOTE: If you ran the first adventure and Hallalan was
killed, then ohviously someone else should tell the story:
either Ragnir or Vandor. Of course, if anyone else is miss­
ing, they must he written out of the picture too.
Sakur do' Akil, the owner of the Northern Girl, puts a comfort­
ing hand on Hallatan's shoulder. "It is certainly not the first
time, by all the spirits of Paradise, that this raider has struck
against a merchant ship! And not all of us believe Northerners to
be worthy of whatever misfortune may befall them! Here, in my
humble tavern, are those who would gladly see this Laughing
Fiend put to a slow and miserable death. Come, friends, lend your
aid to this worthy shipmaster! This Laughing Raider, this mock­
ing murderer, he has lived too long!'
IF THE RAIDERS LOST TO THE LADY GILWEN
If the PCs were in the first adventure and were involved in
successfully defending the Lady Gilwen, then there is no Dorien
to rescue from the raiders: she is sipping wine beside her husband
on a bench in the Northern Girl as her father-in-law tells his tale.
"Two ships full of them, aye, but we fought the rascals off!
They barely made off with their lives, most of 'em, and here we
are, mostly safe and sound, thanks to these brave hearts I was
clever enough to bring with me," (he winks jovially at the PCs).
"But what of others, hey? I doubt we're the first this chuckling
scoundrel has attacked, and daresay we won't be the last! "
"You are very right, old friend," say Sakur do' Akil, the host of
the Northern Girl. "At least four ships they took last summer, and
the crews of those could barely get their vessels to port here after
the villains had left them. You escaped safely this time, praised
be all the spirits in Paradise, but maybe they will take after you
again, even on your return trip. And if you are not their next
victim, surely some other fine merchant will be. This laughing
fiend and his crew of rogues have a fierce hunger for gold."
"Aye, that's the bitter truth," replies Hallatan. "I fear that the
only solution is to kill the sea wolves in their den, for I know
well that no one in the Haradwaith has a warship, and we all
know what the Lords of Umbar think of the pirates! But where do
these scurvy raiders make their harbor? Surely not even the worst
Hetman or Governer of the Haradwaith would give them a base?
Thus they must have some secret haven for those two ships. I
would give a lot to have that place discovered! "
"So would I , " affirms Sakur. "So would our Hetman Haruth !
Well, there's our answer. We will all put up a reward for the dis­
covery of this wolves' den. Do you hear that, my guests? This
worthy Northerner and I would pay you well to discover the
hiding place of the Laughing Raider and his crew! Also, our
blessed Hetman will surely sweeten the reward! Come, even if
none of you thirst for justice, surely some of you need gold! "
Hallatan eyes the PCs hopefully. "How about you, m y doughty
guards? Would you like some more gold in your purses? If you
aquit yourselves as well on land as you have at sea, you could do
very well ! "
4.2 The Player Characters
If the PCs are veterans of the first adventure, they will
probably have made 2nd level (remember to take points for travel
and new experiences into account, as well as points for combat,
good ideas, and so on). This adventure is really geared more to
3rd levels, however, so give them some extra firepower by
sending another NPC or two along with them. If Dorien has been
kidnapped, Halmir and Vandor (if still around) will certainly go
along. If she hasn't, Vandor will still offer to go. In addition,
you may send along either some appropiate NPCs (Yud, Tahar,
and/or Syron; see Section 4.3) or use some of these Pes as NPCs.
12
4.21 Gelmir, a Gondorian Warrior
Gelmir grew up in Minas Anor. the youngest son of a guard of
the city. A serious. intense young man. he felt the urge to make
his own way in the world. away from the h igh reputation of his
father and the expectations raised by the fighting skills of his
three older brothers. He made h is way south as a guard for
overland merchant parties and saw lots of fighting action against
both beasts and bandits on the road. His + 10 longsword was a
parting gift from his fam i l y, but his +5 shield was taken from a
bandit leader 2 months ago on the road from Kas Shadoul to Sook
Oda. Gelmir was wounded in that exchange but managed to k i l l
h i s foe anyway. successfully defending his merchant cl ients. The
grateful traders left him in the care of Sook Oda's only competant
healer and gave Gelmir 100 gpo He is now fully healed and get­
ting bored and restless.
Gelmir is 20 years old and has dark brown hair and hazel eyes.
His ruddy skin and a broken nose make him rather unattractive.
but his se lf-confidence makes him impressive, even though he is
not all that tal l for a Warrior.
4.22 Yezmin, a Haradan Ranger
Yezm in sut Zareb was the only child of a sol i tary Haradan
hunter and his wife. Because of his isolated way of l i fe, her father
Zareb was not constantly influenced by more conventional
Haradan ways as he would have been in a tribal situation. Also,
his wife died when Yezmin was only 7 years old. Thus Yezmin
learned to hunt from her father as if she was his son, not his
daughter. When Yezmin was 19. Zareb was killed by the bite of a
poisonous snake. Yezmin was heart-broken and wild with grief
for a period of weeks, but then real ized that she had to make a
life for herself now. Lonely. she sought out other people, but the
tribal Haradrim of the desert were too traditional to accept a
female hunter. She had more luck in the towns and has been
earn ing a living by guiding caravans.
Yezmin is now 2 1 . She carries her father's + 10 scimitar and
has a +5 target shield that she bought with the pay from her last
job. Her unfort unate and unusual life has made her cynical and
rather aggressive toward others, but she has a soft spot in her
heart for those who are victims of greater force or ill luck, as
long as the victims tried their best (as she has) to make the best
of it on their own.
4.23 Amroth, a Noldo Bard
Amroth often jokes that he is the only Noldo south of the
Anduin. This may not be true. but the folk of Sook Oda certainly
believe it. Amroth is unusually sociable for one of the Fair Folk
and came south with a Human friend of his. "Just for a change of
scene. you might say." as Amroth puts it. The friendly atmos­
phere of the orthern G irl warmed his heart and he has spent a
month here. while his merchant friend continued on south. Even
before this. Amroth had done a great deal of travelling in the
lands of Men. picking up songs and tales as he went.
Amroth is ex tremely attractive even for an Elf. The Haradan
girls of Sook Oda are fasc inated with him, but he carefu l ly
ignores them to avoid the wrath of their fathers. He has fair skin
that nevertheless seems impervious to the hot southern sun.
silver blond hair. and green eyes. His face is often twisted into a
sardonic grin. and he has a sharp tongue upon occasion. He has a
+5 longsword from his father and a gold ring set with a beryl (the
transparent green gem often called "elfstone") that acts as a +2
spell adder and also al lows him to use a Shield spell twice per
day upon command (acts as a target shield. subtracting 25 from
attacks. for 5 m inutes. that is, 30 combat rounds).
4.24 Axor, a Corsair Scout
Axor, 17 years old. has had a varied l i fe. Since running away
from home at 13. he has been a ship's cabin boy, a bouncer in a
tavern in a town in Umbar's territories, a thief, and a bodyguard.
During this last employment. he ended up in Sook Oda when he
fel l i l l from eating bad food at the Moonstone Fortress caravan
stop. He managed to h ide his symptoms for a whi le, but soon his
The Player Characters
employer. a trader who needed a bodyguard because he had bribed
the wrong people, had to leave him behind in the nearest town.
That was 5 days ago, and Axor is now fully recovered and going
sti r-crazy in the l ittle town. He hangs out at the Northern G irl.
looking for action.
Like most Corsairs. Axor has black hair ( which he ' wears long
and tied into a horse-tail). grey eyes. and deeply tanned skin . He
is tall for his age but still slender and has not yet come into his
full strength. He is becoming handsome as he grows oldcr and
knows it. Although he tries to act cool and aloof. he is really full
of daring and acts before thinking all too often. During one of
his less honest periods, he stole a + I 0 scimitar from a drunken
mercenary. He also has a +5 DB rigid leather breastplate. a gift
from his last employer (who meant it as a loan but was in too
much of a hurry to leave Sook Oda to bother about retrieving it).
4.25 Kiral, a Dorwinadan Animist
Following a tradition of the Dorwinadan priests. Kiral under­
took a journey of learning at age 18. He travelled south and west.
gathering herbs. observ ing the world about him. and talking to
many different people. Still on the road long after the prescri bed
year had passed. Kiral felt l ittle incl ination to go back: the
wandering life suited him, allowing him to see new sights and
heal those who seldom see an Animist or any other kind of
effective healer. He has been in the northern Haradwaith for the
past 8 months, v isiting tribal healers and gaining their trust so
that he can learn about the local herbs and remedies.
Kiral is a q u iet man, sensitive to the moods and needs of
others and very observant. He is only of average height and
rather slenderly built. without much muscle. His hair and eyes are
brown. and his skin has the distinctive sallow color of his race.
He brought with him from home an excellent composite bow.
+ 10, and an old crone whom he helped in the N indalf marshes
gave h i m a talisman that turned out to be of great potency: i t
gives him 8 more spell points per day, gives him the abi l ity to
cast healing spe l l s on targets up to 10 ft away, and allows him to
throw his spells as if he were three levels higher. He also has 35
gp and a pouch containing the following herbs (number of doses
in parentheses): yavethalion(3), tarnas( I ). edram(4), harfy(2),
arpsusar(2), dagmathar(2), belramba( I), mirenna(9), suranie( 1 2).
4.26 Lyli, a Haradan Mage
Lyl i was married at an early age ( 1 5 ) to an elderly Mage of Kas
Shadoul. Her new husband, Yussul, was smitten with his much
younger wife's charms (Lyli can be very charming - if she wants
to) and much struck by her great intelligence, which had pre­
viously had l ittle chance for use in the constrained life of an
upperclass Haradan maiden. He started to teach her his craft. She
was an apt pupil, but her training was cut short when Yussul died
of a heart attack. She grieved for him more as a teacher than a
husband and recovered in a few weeks. Then, for a few months,
she attempted to l ive as m istress of her. household, but Yussul's
ambitious journeyman Kannok used Haradan law and tradition to
take that power away from her. Furious, she dressed as a boy and
stowed away on a Haradan ship, When she was discovered by the
crew, they thought her a lad and allowed her to stay on as a
'prentice sailor and cabin boy. The risk of discovery was too
great, however. and Lyl i jumped ship at Sook Oda after her
second voyage. She sold a pearl brooch (given to her by Yussul
and kept hidden while aboard ship) for money to l ive on at the
Northern G irl , where she has stayed for 2 months while trying to
convince the local Mage to teach her more.
Lyli is l ittle and wiry and still looks rather boyish, even in
more fem i nine attire. Aboard ship, she learned to use a scimitar
and has now puchased a +5 blade. She also has a tiny amulet that
gives her + I spell per day and badly wants a more effective
device. She still has a lot of pride even after her m isadventures
and yet is also very inquisitive, so she cannot a lways maintain
her proud facade. She i s very i nterested i n any means to increase
her magical knowledge.
The Non-player Characters 13

4.3 The Non-player Characters 4.34 Syron Pathfinder

Syron Pathfinder is a frequent vIsitor to the inn. A laconic
4.31 Haruth do Ramam Corsair Ranger with a taste for good wine and northern pipeweed,
Hetman of Sook Oda, Haruth is a cynical man, a Haradan with a he has been asked to keep an eye out for some of the travellers
jaundiced view of the increasing domination of the region by who have disappeared near the Moonstone Fortress. He was
Corsairs and Black Numen6reans. Afflicted with a variety of nearly skewered by fortress guards armed with bows when inves­
minor ills, he usually looks annoyed and irritated, but his mind is tigating the territory nearby, but escaped by apparently leaping
very sharp and he is (by Haradan standards) a good hetman, swift to his death from the cliffs into the sea (actually, he climbed
with justice and cautious (but generous) with mercy where appro­ down until he was partially hidden by an overhang and
priate. J n appearance, he is a skinny little man (5'5 ") with sharp camouflaged himself further with his magical cloak ..>- Elven­
features, thinning black hair, a pointed beard, and very dark skin. type, but made by Haradan wisewoman). Syron is touchy to deal
He looks every day of his 56 years. He would be glad have the with and suspicious of strangers but has a weakness for
Laughing Raider put to death for piracy, if his hiding place could discussions of herb-lore and wildlife. He will quickly warm to
be discovered, and will offer 250 gp for this task. He would also anyone who discusses these subjects with real interest, even if
reward evidence of the Raider's death or destruction of his ships. that person is relatively ignorant of the topics. Arza knows of
4.32 Shamara sut Katub his interests but usually respects his privacy (a good logical
argument might win her over, however). Syron is relatively free
High priestess of Kesht, Shamara is the only Truth-Seer and
of his race's dislike of other northern races, mainly because there
the best healer in Sook Oda. A stern woman of early middle years
(4 1 ), she is rather tall for her race (5'6") and statuesque in figure. are very few people of any race that he feels he can trust.
She wears the white robes of her calling with pride, and her face
4.4 The Task
is partially veiled in the old way of noble Haradan women:
indeed, Shamara is a figure of unusual dignity in this little coastal The objective is, of course, to discover the stronghold and
town. She has a weakness for daring young people, as long as harbor of the Laughing Raider and his crew. No one really knows
they are honest, and total scorn for those who live by lies. the identity of the pirate, but many have suspicions about the
Moonstone Fortress and its inhabitants. The residents of Sook
4.33 The Northern Girl Staff Oda are not blind and are far from stupid: if Gedron Moonstone's
Sakur do 'Akil inherited the inn from his father, along with a only source of income is the lousy caravan stop, where does he
healthy respect for honest folk, whatever their race. As old Akil get so much money?
always said, "Better to trust an honest outlander, however strange
his ways, than your brother who has cheated you before. Blood
may be thicker than water, but it doesn't pay bills." Sakur is
popular with both townsfolk and foreign traders, and many a
lonely drunk has found the host of the Northern Girl to be a
sympathetic listener. A stout man of medium height, his round
chin framed with a drooping black moustache and his dark eyes
twinkling as he carries a tray of wine cups, Sakur is a welcome
sight to many a weary traveller from the North.
Arza sut Timman, Sakur's wife, is a smal l, plump woman who
likes hot, spicy food (which she cooks very well, although she
will prepare plainer fare upon request), hotly colored clothes, and
hot gossip. She knows almost everything that goes on in Sook
Oda, including the fact that Numa the Dancer ran off with young
Gedron Moonstone and hasn't been back to visit her best friend
(the other dancer at the Three Diamonds, the Northern Girl's only
real competitor for business) - not even once - even though
Gedron has been seen there three times since! Arza knows that
many of the town merchants have their doubts about the origins
of Gedron's goods, but no one likes to ask too many questions
(even Arza gets her tidbits merely by careful listening).
The Northern Girl has two bouncers. One is a phlegmatic
young giant (figuratively speaking: although entirely human, he's
6'7" in height) of a Northman who has sworn never to go home
again since his older brother stole his ladylove. The folk of Kas
Shadoul call him White Hallan because of his fair skin and hair,
but his name is Hal/an Skord's Son. He rarely leaves the inn
before sundown because he sunburns so badly, but no one in the
city has yet beat him in wrestling. The other bouncer is a short
but stout young Haradan whose appearance is very deceiving: he
is VERY muscular and not all that stupid. Yud do Sarsor, as he is
named, once visited the Moonstone Fortress as a caravan guard a
year ago and swears that he saw several men being brought in,
late at night, chained together. Yud says that they were taken
into a tower by armed guards. No one believes him, and he might Gedron
be persuaded to come prove his story.
Sakur's youngest child is a rogue of a 1 5-year-old who is
temporarily in disgrace after being kicked off his uncle's ship
during his first assignment as cabin boy. He played too many
practical jokes on other crewmembers. Tahar do Sakur is handy
with a boat, whether oared or with sail, and has sailed by the Red
Cliff Cuts and noted their proximity to the Moonstone Fortress.
A level I scout, he would jump at a chance for adventure.
14
The Northern Girl Tavern will, of course, be the starting point
of the expedition. If a lively discussion of the possible identity
of the Laughing Raider and the possible location of his harbor
takes place in the inn, the various staff and regulars (such as
Syron) w i l l soon be putting in their 2 coppers' worth. The
description (by Hallatan) of his attacker as a young Corsair with
an unpleasant laugh will lead Arza to note (as she has several
times already) that young Gedron Moonstone seems the very
man, and who knows where he gets those northern goods he sells
here in town. Syron, after a few glasses of wine and if he has
been approached indirectly, may comment on the strange activ­
ities aroung Gedron's fortress. This, i n tum, will probably cause
Yud to repeat (for the hundredth time) his tale of chained
prisoners there. I f the matter of where could a ship possibly dock
along the steep Red Cliffs is brought up, young Tahar may offer
some speculation about hiding a ship in the Red Cliff Cuts, but
he will no doubt be shouted down by his elders, who w i l l regard
such an idea as nothing more than an Elf-tale.
If the players make it clear that they are accepting the task,
Hal latan will arrange for any needed ordinary supplies, inncluding
horses, if desired (although the party may be better off w ithout
them). This is mainly a scouting m i ssion, but away from the
town is a desert wi lderness, and unexpected dangers may lurk on
the way to the Moonstone Fortress.
REWARDS
Hal latan is offering 100 gp for the discovery of the Raider's
stronghold. Sakur is adding another 1 00 to the pot, and Haruth's
addition to the reward fund brings the total to 450 gpo Finally,
who knows what the adventurers may find on their own during the
search for the Raider's den?
The Expedition and Encounters
4.5 The Expedition and Encounters
It is not at all far to the Moonstone Fortress. The players may
want to first approach it openly by posing as travellers, but of
course, that has its own hazards (remember that the raiders may
have just lost rowers in a battle and may be looking for
replacements). This approach may work for a first appraisal of
the fortress, however. I f the players are rash enough to start
sneaking around at night (try to have the accompanying NPCs
dissuade them), use the material in Adventure 3 (this is a qu ick
way to get rid of PCs, so do your best to talk them out of it). A
less hazardous approach is to scout out the fortress off the beaten
path, either by land or by sea.
4.51 Approach by Land
If the players try sneaking through the rough, they w i l l find
themselves in a desert w i lderness alive with birds and beasts.
Encounters with w i ldl ife w i l l be frequent and often dangerous.
They can only do this on the inland side of the road, since the
c l iffs above the sea are a scarce 1 00 ft from the road on the other
side and there is no cover at all. The inland side, by contrast has
lots of rocks and scrubby vegetation up to 8 ft tall. Moving
slowly and carefully, it should take the players a day and a half to
reach the fortress. Of course, they may choose to cut their time
by taking the road until the are less than a day from the fortress,
but someone should tell them about the possibil ity that the
pirates may patrol the road, since it is their regular supply route.
If they decide to do it anyway, have a pirate patrol (see Second
Day Encounters, below) come by so that they will decide to go
for the bush. On the first day out, once the party is at least a
m i le from Sook Oda, start rolling for encounter hourly (check the
weather, too - an unexpected sandstorm could make things
interesting). A roll of 1 -80 means no encounter. For other rolls,
read on. Once an encounter has occurred, i t will not occur again.
The Encounters
FIRST DAY ENCOUNTERS:
Roll 81-87, A Wild Cattle Stampede: A low drumming
comes from the ground, detectable on a Perception roll of 100 or
better ( i ncluding bonuses: you roll the dice, or the PCs w i l l know
that something is up). Almost before anyone can move, a herd of
wild cattle, wh ite-eyed with fear, charges toward the party. The
cattle are fleeing from some predators ( probably a Great Cheetah,
which hunts in daylight). There are at least 12 of them. The PCs
must imediately decide what to do. G ive them no mor� than 30
seconds real time and have them write down their i m mediate
actions on paper and give them to you . Then determine what
happens. The cattle, unless forc ibly stopped, will fol low a
straight line and will not turn aside. Assume that the PCs have I
round to act.
Roll 88-93, A Pit Spider's The ground beneath the
Trap:
PC or PCs in the lead gives way (the area is a 10 ft diameter
circle and w i l l cave in when more than 1 30 Ibs of weight is put
on it), dropping the victim or victims into a pit 20 ft deep. They
may take damage as fol lows: a 2-handed weapon attack, with a
bonus of +20 for the distance fallen and + I 0 for every 50 Ibs of
body weight (that is, a 1 50 Ib character w i l l take a 2-handed
attack +50). The criticals are all Crush. In the pit is a giant
spider, 5 ft across, who will attack the fal len party members with
its sharp mandibles and its Ivl 5 poison. I f the spider scores a
critical, this poison will in any case give 2-20 points of damage
due to tissue damage around the wound. I n addition, if the v ictim
fails its R R by 15 or more, the poison will paralyze for 12 to 30
hours ( 1 0 + 2d I 0). The spider saves its paralyzed prey for later
meals. If the party has the leisure to explore the pit. they w i l l
find t h e bones of several large animals (a horse a n d t w o cows)
and those of a man. Amid the human v ictim's remains are 3 7 gp,
a + I 0 longsword, a + I 0 light crossbow, and a +5 target shield. A
good Perception roll (90 or better, including add) will reveal to
anyone native to the area that the man was a Corsair, given his
gear and clothing remains.
Roll 94-98, A Thicket of Catclaw Bushes: A member of
the party. straying slightly from the rest (roll random ly for
anyone who is not totally surrounded by other members of the
party), cries out in pain and shock as he or she is entangled in
the thorny branches of a catclaw shrub. These semisentient plants
fertilize themselves by catching animals and people in their
flexible. mobile branches, armed with hooked c1awlike thorns
that give off a soporific (sleep-inducing) j u ice. The j u ice acts as a
level 4 poison and takes 1 -4 rounds to act. after which the v ictim
is deeply asleep. Note that the v ictim m ust roll a new R R every
round that he or she is entangled and once a critical has been
caused. because the j u ice is constantly dripping into the wounds
caused by the nasty thorns. The shrubs are definitely flammable,
but care m ust be taken to avoid roasting the captive along with
the captor. Alternatively. the plants may be hacked with edged
weapons but they will attempt to defend themselves by wildly
waving their thorny. grasping branches. trying to strike their
attackers. I f the party can take the time to ex plore the ground
beneath the thicket (or its remains). they will find many animal
bones, the remains of two human beings, 23 scattered gp, a
scimitar. and a +5 normal shield.
Roll 99-00, A Magical Guardian Servant: As the party
strolls (or. we hope, sneaks) through the brush, a good percep­
tion roll (100 or more, including add) may reveal the remains of a
small stone bulding. (This once guarded an e xtraterrestrial gate,
which has since been shut.) Soon thereafter. someone in the
party (roll randomly) will be struck by a flying ball of earth
(treat as a Ball attack spe l l , with all criticals as Crush). This
strange apparition is the guardian of the place, a barely-sentient
clod of dirt capable of zipping about and attacking intruders in
this area. It is tied to the spot and may not go more than 35 ft
from the keystone of the former gateway. This stone i s now
lying half buried in the ground. If the Guardian takes its total h i t
points, it will become inactive for 1 5 m i nutes, at which point it
will recoalesce from the surrounding earth and attack again, ad
infinitum. I f the keystone is destroyed, the G uardian w i l l
15
permanently deactivate (the keystone is normal rock, takes 1 00
points o f damage, A T a s plate, and Crush criticals will resu l t i n 5
points of damage per level of critical severity; that is, an "A"
critical will yield 5 points of damage, but an "E" will give 25). A
dil igent search of the area will reveal nothing but a strange
sphere of yellow glass, 2 inches in diameter. If this is thrown (or
dropped from more than 6 ft onto a hard surface) , it w i l l give off
a Sudden Light spell ( i t attacks as an 8th level mage). Every time
that it is used (whether on purpose or by acc ident), there is a 1 0'k
chance (roll 9 1 -00) that it w i l l shatter as it activates. giv ing off
5- 1 0 (4 + I d6) +40 composite bow attacks as the shards of glass
fly through the air. This will. of course. destroy the item.
NIGHT ENCOUNTERS
When the PCs stop for the night, they should sensibly note
that it is warm enough not to need a fire and that it would be a
good idea to post watches. If they do both, roll for an encounter
every hour (0 1 -85 yields no encounter). If they do only one.
modify the encounter rolls by + I O. I f they all go to sleep by a
crackling campfire (w ith any Elves in the party oblivious because
they are watching the stars), modify all encounter rolls by +25
(also roll to see if the fire spreads (9 1 -00 it does).
86-95, A Party of Rukhim: The Rukhim (singular: Rukha;
also called Ru-folk and Ruathani; they call themselves,Rughu) are
various types of small, nocturnal humanoid beings with small
magical powers. They are common in the Haradwaith but are only
rarely seen by larger folk and are usually considered to be
mythical. These are Desert Rukh i m : 4 ft tal l , wiry, sand-colored
skin and hair, brown eyes with no whites visible. armed with
spears and bows. There are 10 of them : the chieftain, an Anim ist
( wisewoman), and eight warriors (five men and three women).
They have had bad experiences with men, that is, Pirates who
have kil led several of their people, and will attempt to capture
the PCs. The wisewoman will summon 4 jackals to help if
combat threatens. They w i l l attempt to jump any sentries q u ietly,
possibly with spell assistance from the W i sewoman. I f the.
Rukhim are overwhelmed and all seems lost, they will flee,
turning invsible as they do so (they cannot attack while
inv isible). They carry only their animal skin clothes, rope, of
twisted hide, hair, and sinew, and the weapons listed (the
wisewoman has an amu let that is a +2 spell adding device). I f the
group attempts to negotiate, the Rukhim (who barely speak
H aradaic) may just agree to leave, or they may ( i f the group is
very pleasant and persuasive) help guide them to the fortress.
They w i l l insist on travell ing at night, however, if they agree to
this task. If, somehow, all the PCs are captured or killed, the
captives can probably talk their way out of it: Rukhim are not,
by nature, cruel or aggressi ve.
96-99, A Poisonous Snake: A Banded Viper, drawn by the
heat of bodies (or the fire, if there is one), slithers into camp.
These large ( 1 5 ft long, 1 2-inch body diameter at widest point)
snakes are pit vipers and hunt by heat and ·scent. Adult human
beings are rather too large for them to consider as normal prey,
but they are easily startled and have a poisonous bite ( I v l 5
poison: minimum result, blurred v ision and slowed reflexes (-20
to all moving maneuvers) for 6- 1 6 hours; if R R failed,
convulsions (total incapac ity and random thrashing) for 2- 1 2
hours, take 22-40 points damage, and 20% .chance death from
brain damage). If no one notices the V i per (takes a Perception
roll of 90 or better, including bonuses), i t will curl u p by a warm
sleeping body (roll random ly to see who is warmest) and then
become agitated by the normal movements of the unconscious
party member, perhaps biting (0 1 -7 5 it bites). The bite w i l l
definitely cause t h e sleeper to wake and yell.
00, A Desert Troll: This Troll, unfortunate enough to live an
area where the sun almost always shines brightly for as long as
it's up, can only come out for a brief time each night. He walks
many m i les in search of prey. Seeing a party of tasty humanoid
morsels snoozing the night away, he has only one thought in his
sl uggish brain: a feast ! A sentry or two? No problem. He is armed
16 The Encounters

with nothing but his large claws and jagged teeth, but they have
always been enough. Obviously, he goes for anyone who is
awake fir t: he may be slow, but he is not a total imbecile. The
Troll's den is 7 miles off into the desert: a shallow cave, it reeks
of carrion and contains many bones both old and new, as well as
3 1 gpo There are no other items of value there. (The NPCs may
try to discourage the PCs from going there at all, as the round
trip will add goodness knows how much time - in actuality,
about 7 hours - to their expedition).
SECOND DAY ENCOUNTERS
B y this time, the PCs are approaching the fortress. No animals
or monsters come this close, but there is a 30% chance ( 7 1 -00)
that there is a pirate guard patrol in the area. The patrol consists
of six pirates and an apprentice who is there as a runner (to bring
news back to the fortress if necessary ). These warriors are m ore
heav ily armored (usually Ch/ 1 3 or 1 4) than the pirates generally
are (heavy armor is tought to swim in, but fine for a land patrol).
If the patrol spots intruders, they will behave as if they are the
guards of the fortress (which they are, after all): " Halt! You are on
the land of Gedron Moonstone. What is your business here?"
They will insist on escorting the party "back" to the road
(whether they came from there or not) and will attack if the group
refuses. If an attack occurs, the 'prentice will run for the fortress
to give warning. The pirates are not very brave and may break
and run if half their number is downed.
As the party gets to within I m i le of the fortress, the chance
of patrol increases to 50% (rolled once per hour). A t this point,
the patrol will shoot first and ask questions later.
4.52 Approach by Sea
This is somewhat easier: the hazards are mainly navigational.
The pirates do not patrol the waters near the harbor, as this would
just draw attention to the cut that is their entrance. The water is Dulo
deep enough to allow small ships to come within 20 ft or so of
the cliffs, but at that point there is a 50% chance (modified by
The best plan is probably to stake out the fortress and see if
the average "Sailing" sk ill of those at the sails and t i ller) that
any ships put o u t or if anyone in the party recognizes anyone
the ship will be dashed against the cliffs ( a +30 Crush attack).
who comes out of the fortress. Gedron and 1 -3 men go riding
(The raiders know the area well enough to avoid this). There is
also a 50% chance (modified as above) that the ship will run every other day, and there is a 50% chance that anyone who lived
through the raid on the Lady Gilwen will recognize him if they
aground on sand bars and an equal chance that it will hit a reef.
Bold adventurers who decide to try swimming to the cliffs must get within SO feet of him. Tahar, if he came along, has a 70%
fight the current (-20 to swimming rolls; swimm ing here is a chance because Gedron came to drink at the Northern Girl twice
Very Hard maneuver) or be dashed against the cl iff (0 1 -60) or this past winter. If the party has been discussing whether Gedron
washed into a cut (6 1 -97) and virtually trapped there, or go under is the raider, Tahar w i l l point out Gedron and ask: "Is that the
and start drowning (98-00) (these same rolls would apply to Laughing Raider? That's Gedron." If the group is atop the cliff
anyone who falls from the ship). Anyone trapped in a cut may try and spots a ship emerging from the cut, they will, of course,
to climb the walls there (another Very Hard maneuver) or fight know where the secret harbor is.
the current out (starts Very Hard and gets worse each minute as If the group wants to climb down the cliffs with ropes (or
the adventurer tires; when it reaches Absurd. the adventurer must . even, Valar preserve us, without ropes), they can explore the cuts
be rescued or he/she starts to drown). more closely and may discover the secret harbor this way. This is
Of course. the adventurer may be washed into the Reavers' Cut risky: i t is a Very Hard operation (adds in Climbing will help, of
if he or she is closest to that one. I n that case, he or she may course, and so will adds i n Rope Mastery) w i th a chance of
attempt to swim to the dory or climb a rope from one of the fal l ing if the adventurer fails h is/her roll. If there is a fal l , the
ships (if they are not out on a raid) or climb the dock. Go to unfortunate takes a Two-Handed Weapon attack + 1 for every 2 feet
Adventure 3 for what such an adventurer might fight in this cut. that he/she falls before hitting the water ( for example, if the
adventurer was 40 ft above the water when he/she fel l , the attack
Unless someone (or the entire boatload) enters the Reavers'
is +20). Then the fallen one must make an Extremely Hard roll to
Cut. nothing will be learned from such a reconnaissance - unless
swim successfully after the unintentional dive. Note that Landing
the pirates are setting out or returning (roll of 86-00)! In that
and Acrobatics can help reduce the effects of rile fal l . Of course,
case. of course. the Bay Eaglet and the Master Seawolf will pursue
even if no one falls, a patrol may discover the party in the
and attempt to capture or destroy the adventurers' vessel.
middle of this delicate operation and cut the ropes!
4.53 At the Fortress When the party has decided that they have indeed discovered
See the accompanying diagram and Adventure 3 (Section 5 .0) the lair of the pirates, they should be discouraged from attempt­
for the details of the fortress and its immediate surroundings. The ing an invasion until after reporting back. The trip back to Sook
ruins of the old lighthouse consist of a complete ground floor, Oda is m uch like the trip to the fortress: use any un used
most of the second floor. and very of the third floor (see plan). encounters (if you have any) if an encounter is called for.
The patrols are supposed to check all three areas but in practice
they rare ly do (9 1 -00 they search above the ground floor). As
above, the chance per hour of encountering a patrol anywhere in
.
thiS area IS 50%. There are also patches of rough, thick vegeta­
tion and rocky outcrops that can offer temporary shelter.
/lItO the Moollstone Fortress
5.0 ADV. 3 : I NTO TH E
MOONSTONE FO RTR ESS
Adventure 3 presents the players with the task of entering
Moonstone Fortress, resc uing Dorien ( i f she has been captured),
and perhaps destroy ing the Laughing Raider and his band.
5.1 Starti ng the Players
If the PCs were invo lved i n Adventure 2 (and possibly Adven­
ture I a, we l l ). they w i l l simply report back to Hal latan, who
will reward them and then try to persuade them to return to the
fortress. If Dorien was k idnapped, he w i l l beg them to go: i n this
case. i f Halm i r i s al ive. he will insist on going, alone if
necessary. Again. vandor will go i f he is around. I f Syron d idn't
go with them the first t i me around, have him decide to go now,
and consider hav ing one of the 5th-level PCs g i ven below offer
to come along. Th i s w i l l be an advanced adventure: e x tra hea l i ng
and magic, if not brawn. may be very helpful. if not absolutely
necessary. A l though the PCs have probably gained another level.
this w i l l make them only 3rd level. and this adventure is more for
4th-6th levels. Approaches to the fortress are the same as
Adventure 2. but this time the party w i l l be more aware (we hop� )
of possible dangers. However\ if any of the encounters were not
used. you may want to use them now for ex tra "spice."
I f the PCs were not involved i n Adventures I and 2, read those
adventures carefu l l y so that you know the c i rcu mstances. In this
case, the PCs will be i n the Northern G i r l when the scouting
party of crew from the Lady G i lwen ( Ha l m i r and vandor) and
PCs ( Tahar, Yud, and Syron ) arrives to g i ve the i r report. In this
case. Dorien i s defi n itely a prisoner and slave-to-be in the for­
tress. Sakur do' A k i l . the tavern keeper, w i l l supply a summary of
what has occu rred ( u se material from Adventures I and 2). and
Hal latan and Halmir w i l l supply impassioned pleas for adventurers
to assist the grief-stricken Halmir with his quest for his bride.
"That rascal m ust have her there in that bloody fortress ! "
storms Hal latan. "That i s , unless he's already sold her south a s a
slave! The poor girl. she's hardly more than a child!"
"I'd go i n there alone to save her. i f i t would do a l i c k of
good ' " wails H a l m i r. "Oh. I'm not a rich man yet, c u rse i t . but
anyone who helps me save her can claim m y last copper! And
never lac k for food, drink. or shelter w h i le I l i ve, either - I
swear here before witnesesses that anyone who helps me save her
has a share in all my earnings as long as I l i ve ! "
Sakur tu rn s to the crowd in h i s common room, h i s dark face
unusually serious. " Even if you have hearts of stone, consider
this: Those pirates have been raiding for several years now. We
have all heard stories of the treasures that they have stolen. 1 1 1 -
gotten gains. mark y o u , b u t few of those w h o were robbed would
ask to have back what you would surely find in that fortress, if
you were to stop this Laughing Raider and his poxy crew. Wealth
like the old Talaf Maluk had. who turned wood to gold w i th h i s
touch: that's what's in t h a t place. Who w i l l seek this fort une. and
save this young bride'!"
5.2 The Player Characters
5.21 Selnoi the Wanderer, an Umli Warrior
Amroth ( see Section 4.2) may think that he is the southern­
most Noldo Elf. but Selnoi knows that he is the southernmost
U m l i . His small tribe was destroyed by Snow Tro l l s when he was
1 5 - he only surv i ved because he was away hunting for seals.
Grief-stricken. he tled into the h i l l s south of his old hunting
grounds and was found. unconscious. by some Dwarves. He was
rai sed by them but. although gratefu l . he didn't like l i v ing
underground. When he accompanied h i s adoptive uncle on a trip
to bring a shipment of iron ingots to the Grey Havens. he first
saw and fe l l in love with the sea. He managed to talk his way
onto the crew of an oared ship: too short to row. he beat the time
for the rower, ( who were not slaves but paid free men) and ac ied
as cabin boy. S i nce then. he has travelled far and seen much. He
has just arrived in Sook Oda on a coastal trader from Kas Shadou l .
17
Selnoi h a s t h e red h a i r a n d b l u e eyes common to the U m l i . H i s
fair s k i n h a s been reddened b y sun and wind. and h e no longer
suffers from the heat as he did when he first came south: his good
Constitut ion has helped w i th this. He has a + I 0 handaxe tha t he
�
found in the ruins of h i s tribe's camp, a + 10 target shield. and a
+5 chain shirt. Hav i ng su ffered a great loss of fam i l y himself. he
is sensitive to such problems in others. He is not lack ing funds.
having on him 35 gp and two gold bracelets worth 25 gp each.
5.22 Beregond, a Gondorian Ranger
A country boy from Lossarnach, Beregond was a younger son
who was not due to inherit any land from his father's small
estate. When a merchant came through, asking for guards for his
goods on a trip South, the 1 6-year-old lad volunteered at once. He
saw rather more of the world than he could stomach on that trip:
he wasn't home again for 1 8 months. Home seemed very dull after
that, however, and soon he was off south again. Now 2 1 .
Beregond has made the trip from M i nas Anor to Umbar and back
3 t i mes. After becoming infatuated with a merchant's daughter
here in Sook Oda. he left his last job and planned to settle here.
However, her father had other plans: she was married 2 weeks ago
to a merchant down the coast. Beregond has been trying to drink
his sorrows away ever since. He was crashed out in back of the
N orthern G irl when Hal latan first came in.
N ot too tall, but very solidly buill. Beregond has sandy hair.
blue eyes, and tanned skin. He i s very intense and takes every­
thing to heart (obviously). In h i s travels. he has picked up a
variety of useful gear: a + 1 0 longsword. a + 1 0 compo�ite bow.
and a +5 shield. He i s down to hi� last 2 gp and owe� one of
those to Sakur for room, board. and bool.e. He needs cash and he
needs to do something to make him forget his lost Abira.
5.23 Caranel, a Gondorian Bard
A terrible tomboy and hoyden a� a chi ld. Cml llel wheedled her
parents i n to letting her be apprenticed to a m usic ian who l i ved
next door to t he i r fine house in Osg i l iath. Thi� master of the
harp. a man named Galdor. had played for the Ki ng's court several
t i mes. However, he later fe l l on hard times and had not been able
to attract any students for some t i me: he was thus grateful for this
m usically talented child. even though she was female. Caranel
became a fine m u sic ian but did not become any more lady like a�
she grew older: her parents phi losph ically figured that they had
been lucky with the i r son and other daughter and shouldn't expect
any more. When Caranel went off a-rov ing to seek adventure and
more songs. they gave her the i r blessing. 50 gpo and a + 1 5
longsword ( wh ich she had learned t o use from her brother).
Caranel has played her way from Osg i l i ath to Lond Daer to Kas
Shadou l, gaining here and there patrons who kept her ," court
m u s ician for a brief t ime and sent her on with money and praise.
She was aboard ship from Kas Shadoul to rellirn to Gondor for the
sum mer when the ship broke its rudder on a reef and had to limp
i nto harbor at Sook Oda. Caranel checked into the Northern G i rl
last night and is fac i ng a week-long wait while the ship under­
goes repairs in the rather lim ited hlci l ities here.
Caranel is attrac t i ve . w i th warm brown hair that was red when
she was l ittle ( hence her name. " Red Star" ) and ha /.el eyes. Her
fair skin i s l ightly tanned and freckled from the southern sun. She
has one truly unusual characteri stic: she can �ee in the dark l i ke
an Elf. Rumor has it that one of her ance�tor� wa� of the Fair
Fol k . One of her patrons. who l i ked to hunt. gave her a +5
composite bow as a gift. and she has a platinum ring that gives
her x2 spell points per day.
5.24 Forin , a Dwarf Scout
Forin was a member of a Dwarven tribe that m i ned and
explored the Ered N i mrais. the White Mounta i ns of southern
Gondor. As a young Dwarf. he proved adept at ,potting new
deposits and l i kely m i ne sites but was not patient with the tasb
of digging and m i ning and had no aptitude for forg ing and
smith ing. When the local Gondorian lord needed �COlI ! ' and
explorers for an expedition to h i l l s neat Andra�t. the head of
Forin's tribe gave him perm ission to go. He found human
18
company not a s strange a s he would have thought, and this taste
of freedom and adventure soured him forever on proper, sober
Dwarvish activities such as m ining and smithing. He has travel­
led a good deal since then, often coming along on expeditions to
provides advice on caves and mining and to repair tools and
weapons. He came to Sook Oda as a ship's smith on the same
crippled ship that brought Caranel.
Forin is of average height for a Dwarf. He has very strong
arms and has overcome the typical Dwarv ish fear of water to learn
to swim pretty wel l . His hair is dark brown and his eyes are grey,
while his skin is tanned very darkly. He is inquisitive about how
things work and has a cynical manner: he thinks that most folk
are at heart, dull and unadventurous and that he is one of the few
bol d spirits in the world. He is armed for his travels with a + 1 0
mace and a + 1 0 composite bow and wears a +5 chain shirt.
5.25 Nail, a Dwarven Animist
Nali is from the same tribe as Forin ! He had been studying
healing with a human Animist named Carnes tel who sent him
south to pick up a shipment of southern healing herbs that
Camestel had ordered last year through a merchant (in previous
years, when no Animist had accompanied the herbs, many ' had
become damp or otherwise damaged in shipment). Nali met his
kinsman Forin in Kas Shadoul and persuaded him to hire onto the
ill-fated ship that is now docked for repairs in Sook Oda.
Nali is of friendlier disposition than his cousin and is
positively congenial for a Dwarf. He has a good (although rather
unkind) sense of humor. His blue eyes twinkle above his ash­
brown beard. He has a + I 0 axe that he was given for his defense
when he left the home caverns and has since received from his
teacher a pair of silver bracers that act as a +3 spell-adder (3
total) and a gold ring set with a small ruby that al lows him to
cast CUI Repair I twice a day without expending power points.
Emuna
The Player Characters
5.26 Teiglin, a Silvan Mage
Teiglin is on a Quest - self-imposed, but a quest nonetheless.
As a child in Lothl6rien, she had heard many tales of the
marvellous magical jewels wrought by the Elven-wrights of old.
Most were lost over time, through battle or stolen by the Enemy.
but there were tales that some of them may have been taken
south. Teiglin showed great promise as a magician's apprentice,
but her progress was not fast enough to suit her: she seeks that
which will make her truly great among magicians. She set out
this spring for Umbar. Her ship, a merchantman out of Edhellond
called the Prince Imran, has stopped overnight at Sook Oda to
deliver wine and honey to the Northern G irl and the Three Dia­
monds. The thought of great treasure - maybe even artifacts of
the Elves - will grab Teiglin's attention as nothing else could.
Teiglin is lovely to look at, with long wheat-colored hair, blue
eyes, and l ightly tanned skin. but her manner is too forceful and
determined to make her attractive to many men (or even to many
male Elves). She is obsessed with her personal Quest (it is always
in capitals to her ! ) but is too intell igent to allow her obsession
to endanger her life. She has with her a +5 composite bow that
she uses mainly for hunting when necessary, gold ring that acts a
+2 spell-adding device, and special item made by her aunt. a
famous Elven craftswoman: a short, lightweight grey robe that
acts as an Elven cloak but also gives her a +25 DB bonus because
those attempting to strike her will be unable to focus on her.
5.3 The Non-player Characters
The NPCs used in this adventure are described in Sections 2.3.
3.3, and 4.3.
5.4 The Approach to the Fortress
See Adventure 2 (Section 4.0). The party w i l l probably incl ude
PCs wh o are veterans of Adventure 2 or NPCs who have passed
this way before, so the chance of enounters is less (subtract 20
from encounter rolls).
5.5 The Moonstone Fortress Layouts
The Moonstone Fortress is an outstanding example of castle
architecture and is sti l l impressive, in spite of its slightly
neglected air. The castle is approached from the coastal road by a
small wheelpath, just large enough to take a good-sized cart. This
path runs up to the edge of the dry moat. a ditch that is 10 feet
deep on the path side but more than 30 feet deep immediately
below the castle walls. because the castle sits on a mound. The
ditch is crossed by a bridge of strong timber plated with iron.
which originally extended from below the main gate by a clever
system of wheels, chains, and pulleys. It has been extended for
some 80 years, however, and even though the rains of the
Haradwaith are sparse and infrequent, the mechanism has become
so fouled with dust and rust that the bridge can no longer be
retracted. The Moonstone gleams from above the gate in daylight
and glows with a faint blue light of its own at night.
The outer walls of the fortress are 25 feet high (above the
mound surface). The four corner towers are 40 feet tall to their
stone crenel lations. while their conical wooden roofs add another
15 feet. The two small, D-shaped towers in the m iddle of the
north and south walls are each 30 feet high and are not roofed.
ABOUT ENCOUNTERS
For the convenience of the the gamemaster, the possibilities
of various encounters, day and night, are noted at the end of each
room or area description (the details of the encounters themselves
are in the section after the layout). These are for encounters
during those times when the pirates are not out on a raid and
when there are no guests staying at the makeshift caravan stop. It
is suggested that there be no caravans arriving or staying at any
time when player characters are in the fortress: this is not that
odd, as the stop is not that popular. If the PCs themselves wish
to impersonate a caravan, Ulbor or Dulo will greet them and make
them as comfortable as possible (which is not very) in the
Northeast Tower. If the pirates are out on a raid, the "caravan"
The Ground Level
UPPER LEVELS OF THE GATEHOUSE
FRONT VIEW OF THE
FORTRESS
UPPER LEVELS OF THE STABLES
will be put off with lies about illness in the castle (if they insist,
the pirates will allow them to fi l l their water flasks and barrels).
If the pes sneak in when there is a raid underway, all encoun­
ters with Zokhad, Gedron, and three out of the fou r captains are
negated (roll to see who's been left in c harge: 0 1 -25 U l bor, 26-
50 Kaldir, 5 1 -75 Ingar, 76-00 Dulo). Numa and Sofan are more
likely to be wandering around, looking for secret exits, at such
times. Emuna is always wandering around, no matter who's there.
At night, there is a 95% chance that any bedroom is occupied
by its inhabitant. If the room has more than one occupant (espec­
ial ly in the case of dormitory-type rooms), it is certain to be
occupied by at least one of them.
GATEHOUSE
I. Main Gates. The outer doors are of 6-inch-thick oak, imported from
the north, and they are faced with iron plates on the outside. They are
opened at dawn and closed at dusk, making quite a racket because the
hinges are not kept well oiled. It used to be possible to drop portculli at
two points along the passage in. but their mechanisms have gone the way
of those of the bridge. The inner gates are of lesser timber and are only 4
inches thick, but they are also faced with iron plates. The upper level
((39) on upper level diagram) is reached by a stairway in (2) and features
braziers for heating huge pots of sand, which can then be poured upon
unwanted visitors in the passage below (victims receive the equivalent of
a +50 fireball attack). The roof (40) provides a lookout post for
observing the path to the castle and cover (behind crenellations) for firing
at allackers there. DA Y AND NIGHT ENCOUNTERS - In (39): 0 1 -95 (L),
96-00 nothing PLUS 0 1 - 1 5 (0). 1 6-30 (G), 3 1 -00 no one else.
2 and 3. Gate Guardrooms. From these rooms on each side of the
entry passage, defenders can shoot at intruders in the passage (through
two arrow loops) or at others outside (through an additional eight loops,
four on each side). The stairway to the upper level is located in (2). Both
rooms are reached from the outer ward (4) and have outer doors that can
be barred from inside but not locked. The mechanisms for the defunct
portculli are easy to find on the wall of (3) near the arrow loop: they
look functional to anyone who is not an expert at such things. DA Y AND
NIGHT ENCOUNTERS - Either room : 0 1 -50 (L), 5 1 -00 empty.
19
OUTER W A R D A N D TOWERS
4. Outer Ward. Formerly used as a parade ground, where the castle
guards assembled to receive orders and practice their warrior's skills. this
is now a dusty, desolate expanse of cracked paving stones. with weeds
growing between them. It principal use these days is as a makeshift and
uncotn-fortable campground for travellers. DA Y ENCOUNTERS - 0 1 - 1 0:
(L): 1 1 -20: ( M ): 2 1 -30: ( K ): 3 1 -40: (0): 4 1 -00 no one. NIGHT
ENCOUNTERS - 0 1 - 1 0 (L). 1 1 -20 no one.
S. Southeast Tower. Off the entryway is the spiral stairway leading
up, as in the other three towers. However. unlike the others. this stairway
also leads down (to the guardroom ( I ) on the Lower Levels dIagram ). In
addition. a secret passageway leads from this short hallway to the
equivalent entryway of the south side tower ( 1 9). providing a short cut
around the central wall that divides the castle. Gedron and his men do not
know about it. but Numa has recently discovered it and has hidden a small
store of nonperishable food supplies. money (I I gp). a tinderbox with
flint and steel. and two filled watersk ins here in case she ever gets the
chance to make a break For it. The items. in a baltered leather satchel. are
about halfway down the corridor. The ground floor of the tower itself
contains a heap of extra chains. leg irons, and manacles. An extra copy of
the key that fits all of them is on a hook to the left of the ent ry as the
room is entered. The second level of the tower « 4 1 ) on Upper Levels)
contains extra sailcloth (which is stored here to keep it dry). The third
level (42) is apparently empty. Beneath a loose stone on the floor near
the garderobe (latrine) is a small amulet consisting of a bit of smoky
quartz set in silver, on a silver chain. It will cast a constant "Blur" spell
upon its wearer. The final level (43). the top of the tower. is empty
except for a nest of owls in the rafters of its deteriorating wooden roof.
DA Y ENCOUNTERS - For (S): 0 1 -05 (B): 06- 1 0 ( D): 1 1 -20 (L): 2 1 -00
no one. For ( 4 1 ). 0 1 -05 ( D): 06-07 (E): OR- I O (F). 1 1 - 1 5 (G). 1 6-20 (L).
2 1 -00 no one. For (42) and (43): 0 1 -05 (0): 06-00 empty. NIGHT
ENCOUNTERS - For the secret passage (5'): 0 1 - 1 0: (H): 1 1 -20 no one.
The other four rooms arc empty at night.
6. Northeast Tower. This has the same layout as (S). In this case.
the ground floor has been furnished with an old wooden table and some
benches, a water barrel with a dipper. and a few greasy leather-covered
cushions to make a semblance of a parlor for the more important guests
who use the makeshift caravan stop. The second level (44) has fou r
wooden beds with lumpy. flea-infested straw mallresses and a set of rickety
shelves. The third level (4S) contains eight verminous straw mallresses
on the floor. The top level (46) has a couple of old chairs under the
wooden roof for those who wish to take some air. DAY ENCOUNTERS -
For all four rooms: 0 I - tO ( K ) : 1 1 - 1 3 (0): 1 4- 1 8 (P): 1 9-00 no one.
NIGHT ENCOUNTERS: no one.
GUA RDHOUSE
7. Entryway to Guardhouse. Behind a sturdy oaken door (4 inches
thick and capable of being barred from the inside and locked with a lock
that has a 1 5 bonus vs. picking) is a short corridor. Just before the end.
where the corridor turns, a portcullis can be lowered. This one is still
operat ional. although it made a horrible screech the last time some of
Gedron's cUllhroat pirate sailors tried it. DA Y AND NIGHT ENCOUNTERS
- 0 1 -05 (L): 06-00 no one.
8. Corridor. After the doors to rooms ( 1 0). ( 1 1 ). and ( 1 2) is a door
leading through the central dividing wall of the complex to the kitchen.
allowing servants to bring food directly to the guards' messroom ( 1 3).
The next door leads to a latrine. Finally, a flight of stairs leads to the
upper level. ENCOUNTERS - same as (7).
9. Guardroom. A series of peepholes allows observation of whoever
might be in the entryway (7). On the peephole wall. near the door. is the
lever that operates the portcullis. ENCOUNTERS - same as (8).
1 0. Bedroom. Two of the most skillful (3rd level) pirate crew members
sleep here. They each have a bed with a wooden frame and straw mattress.
as well as a small (unlocked) chest. Both chests arc filled with tunics.
trousers. and underclothes in varying states of repair. One pirate keeps his
valuables ( 1 7 gp and a pair of loaded dice) in one of several mi smatched
old seaboots under the bed: the other has his (27 gp and a silver brooch
worth 5 gp that he plans to give to some girl) in his mattress. near the
foot of the bed. DA Y ENCOUNTERS - 01 -05 (L): 06-00 no one. NIGIIT
ENCOUNTERS - see note about bedrooms.
I I. Bedroom. Basically same arrangement and personnel as ( 1 0). One
pirate keeps his 66 gp (he's lucky at dice) and two doses of kalom (a
hallucinatory herb. in the form of a grey powder) in a tiny blue glass
flask under a loose stone under his chest. The kalom will. if smoked (there
is a pipe on the chest). cause the user to hallucinate wildly within 1 0
minutes. The effect lasts for 5 t o 1 5 hours and leaves the user with a
horrible hangover (-20 to all actions) for 6- 1 0 more hours. The other
pirate. more plebeian in his vices, has 23 gp in an empty pOllery wine
flask, mixed in with three empties and two fu ll flasks under hIS bed. The
wine is terrible but not poisonous. ALL ENCOUNTERS - same as ( 1 0).
20 The Ground Level

MOONSTONE FORTRESS GROUND LEVEL

20
Wa ll Height: 25'
Corner Towers: 40'
M id-wall Towers: 30' 10
Gatehow,e: 30'
5

o
The Ground Level 21

12. Bedroom. Again, basically the same as ( 10). One pirate keeps his table and walls. The next level (54) is their bedroom, with its own
2 1 gp and a boo k of luridly dirty poetry under the filthy tunics i n his latrine. Down the latrine (25 ft) is a mouldering leather pouch containing
chest. The other keeps his paltry 9 gp and a beautiful set of six tiny 5 gp and an earring that allows the wearer to hear things at a distance (as
knives (balanced for throwing or juggling, made of steel with black a Long Ear spell: "Essence Perceptions" list). It was thrown there during a
enamel work patterns on the grips) in a cracked and useless chamberpot disagreement as to whose it was, and no one is inclined to retrieve it.
under his bed. ALL ENCOUNTERS - same as ( 10). Otherwise, the feisty lads keep their small amounts of cash and other
13. The Guards' Mess. The pirates use this for its original purpose, treasure (an assortment of crooked dice, copper and silver coins, and brass
but even the hardbitten guards who used to eat here would be a bit ashamed armbands) on them at all times. They have straw mattresses and one
of its filthy condition. A couple of scrawny dogs often lounge about here, communal clothes chest. The next level (55) is empty but for rude
waiting for the next bone to hit the floor. The wooden table is carved remarks scrawled on the walls. The top level (56) has three rope
with graffiti in several languages and crude cartoons of officers and girls. hammocks and a swing hanging pecariously from the rafters of its wooden
The stools are all pretty rickety and occasionally deposit diners onto the roof. DA Y ENCOUNTERS - for ( 17): 0 1 -25 (0), 26-27 (G), 28-00 no
stone floor amid the crumbs. DA Y ENCOUNTERS - 0 1 -20: (M), 2 1 -00 no one; for (54): 0 1 -25 (0); 26-00 no one; for (55): 0 1 -20 (0); 2 1 -00 no
one. NIGHT ENCOUNTERS - empty. one; (56) 0 1 - 1 5 (0); 1 6-20 (D); 2 1 -25 (G); 26-00 no one. NIGHT
ENCOUNTERS - for ( 1 7): 0 1 - 1 0 (P); 1 1 -00 no one; for (54): see note
STABLES AND SURROUNDINGS
about bedrooms; for (55): empty: for (56): 0 1 -30: (L), 3 1 -35 (P), 36-00
14. Stable Ward. This area used to be an exercise area for horses. The no one.
surface is hard-packed earth that used to be regularly swept and weeded;
needless to say, it is beginning to resemble a meadow, especially near the UPPER LEVELS OF THE
leaking water trough. A stairway leads up to the wall walk. DA Y
ENCOUNTERS - 0 1 - 1 0 (C) with horse: 1 1 - 1 2 (I); 1 3-20 (K): 2 1 -25 (L);
MID-WALL TOWERS
26-30 (0): 3 1 -00 no one. NIGHT ENCOUNTERS - 0 1 -05 (L): 06-00 no
one.
IS. North Tower. The floor of the first level is nearly knee-deep in
empty grain sacks from the stables. A few coils of rope are scattered abour
(three 50-ft lengths, two 30-ft lengths). The upper level (SO) features a
corridor ( A ) and a room ( B ) in which Sofan has set up an impromptu
laboratory. The door to the room is locked ( - 1 0 to pick). In it, on a
battered wooden table, are several flasks of alchemical substances (aqua
vitae, strong vinegar, gall, quicksi lver, sulfur granules, and so on), a tiny
brazier ( charcoal is in a large, cracked jar near the door), two mortars with
pestles, abstruse glassware, three small crucibles, stirring rods of glass
and porcelain, a large claw that Sofan thinks is a Dragon's (actually, it's
from a giant polar bear), a human sku ll, a Hobbit's skul l (from which
Sofan hopes to make a homunculus), a pretty but useless silver wand
(worth 5 gp), and a battered tome entitled (in Haradaic) " Wisdom and
Formulae of the Most Learned Kalik do 'Altir, Magician to Prince Yashar
of Sook Asni." The only intact formulae are for a potion to restore the
manly powers of an elderly man, a salve to increase the appearance of any
mortal, and a lotion to allow the user to leave no trace of his or her
passing. Only the last formula will work, and its ingredients include dust
of clear laen ( a magical glass), hair of an albino woman, and oil rendered
from the fat of a black leopard. The ceiling of the room is covered with
smoke stains. The top level (51) is reached by a ladder from ( A ) and
includes a small wooden shelter with a bench in it (e), as well as an open
area that allows access to a wall walk. DA Y ENCOUNTERS - for ( 1 5): 0 1 -
05 (K); 06- 1 0 (0); 1 1 - 1 5 (I): 1 6-00 no one; for (SO): 0 1 -25 (I); 26-00 no
one; for ( 5 1 ) 0 1 - 1 0 (I): 1 1 -20 (0); 2 1 -30 (P); 3 1 -00 no one. NIGHT
ENCOUNTERS - for (SO): 0 1 -05 (I); 06- 1 5 (P); 1 6-00 no one; for ( 5 1 ):
empty.
16. Stables. There are nine stalls, all occupied. Four contain strong but
mediocre horses (for those interested, a large 8-yr-old bay mare, a
smallish 1 0-yr-old piebald gelding, a 5-yr-old dun gelding, and a huge,
bad-tempered 9-yr-old liver chestnut mare). Two contain strong but very
stubborn grey mules ( both geldings). The other three contain Gedron's two
good riding horses ( a large 5-yr-old dappled grey stallion and a smaller 8-
yr-old bay gelding) and Zokhad's 7-yr-old black mare, which he almost U PPER LEVELS OF THE GUARDHOUSE
never rides. The westernmost and last stall contains brushes, hoofpicks, AND THE SERVANTS' HALL
harness, and saddles and has a steep stairway leading to the upper level.
This contains a room (52), originally for the grooms, where the three
male castle slaves sleep. They are 1 4 , 32, and 59 years old. The 32-year­ INNER WARD AND KITCHEN BLOCK
old is definitely slow-witted, and the others were born slaves and are 18, Inner Ward. This area used to be planted with grass and flowers but
resigned to their lot. They sleep on mattresses of straw that are in better is now a sea of weeds. Three small fruit trees (lemon, orange, and apricot)
shape than most in the castle, for they have access to fresh straw and still grow, although rather wildly, as they haven't been pruned in decades.
change their bedding regularly (why not? they don't have much else to do They rarely bear fruit. A well is located near the laundry!bath block (20-
in their spare time). Except for some spare clothing hung on pegs on the 22). Near the kitchen block, a stairway leads up to the wall walk. DAY
walls and a set of dice, they have no other possessions. The remainder of ENCOUNTERS - 0 1 -03 (e), 04-05 (D), 06 (F), 07- 1 0 (G), 1 1 - 1 2 ( H ). 1 3-
the floor (53) is a hayloft filled with (what else?) hay and straw. A few 1 5 (I), 1 6-25 (J), 26-27 (L), 28-30 (0), 3 1 -35 (P), 36-00 no one. NIGHT
sacks of grain are piled near the stairs. DA Y ENCOUNTERS - for ( 16): ENCOUNTERS - 0 1 -05 (L): 06- 1 0 (P): 1 1 -00 no one.
0 1 -05 (C), 06- 1 5 : (K), 1 6-20 (L), 2 1 -00 no one: for (52): 0 1 -05 (K), 06- 19. South Tower. The ground floor is an impromptu rubbish heap,
00 no one: for (53): 0 1 -05 (K), 06- 1 0 (0), 1 1 -00 no one. NIGHT popular with flies and rats and hence with the castle's seven mangy cats.
ENCOUNTERS - for ( 16) empty: for (52): see note about bedrooms: for
Bones, fruit pits and rinds, clam and oyster shells, burned bread crusts,
(53): empty. cheese rinds, rags, and simi lar garbage are piled up to 4 ft high. The upper
17. Northwest Tower. The ground floor is furnished with a few level (62) serves primarily as a cattery and smells like it (although most
cushions and a rickety low table from one of the parlors in the big house. of the cats seem to perceive the basic purpose of the latrine, they often
It is used by the five cabin boys who sleep upstairs. These pirate miss). The top level (63) is unused and is a popular roost for the local
apprentices regard the room as their private club, but since the only crows. DA Y ENCOUNTERS - for ( 19): 0 1 - 1 0 0), 1 1 - 1 5 ( K), 1 6-00 no
person that they can snub by keeping out of it is the 1 4-year-old one; for (62) and (63): no one. NIGHT ENCOUNTERS - or all three
slaveboy (he's the only other person near their age in the place), they rooms: no one but lots of rats and cats.
don't get much satisfaction out of this pastime. Juvenile graffiti mars the
22 The Ground Level

20. Laundry. This room. located ncar the well, contains a large copper· will result. I n the other box is the Earring of Yanina: this silver stud sct
lined boiler for heating water and two stone sinks and some wooden with turquoise allows the user to understand any human language as if it
buckets for washing clothes. It has not been used very much lately. A were his own. The user cannot speak the language, however. It may be
small bucket of crude soap is on the counter between the two sinks. (20') used Ilday for 5 minutes.
is a latrine that was used for emptying out chamberpots from the main Leaving Emuna's room: The top level (66) is rather nicely fumished
house. A bucket for water to rinse the pots is a comer. DA Y ENCOUNT· with a couple of light wooden couches with relatively Glean cushions. a
ERS - 0 1 · 1 5 (J), 1 6·00 no one. NIGHT ENCOUNTERS - no one. tiny table, and two hanging oil lamps suspended from the wooden roof
21 and 22. Uaths. Water must be heated in the laundry and carried here rafters. DAY ENCOUNTERS - for (23): 01 ·02 ( D), 03·04 (G), 05· 1 0 (L).
in buckets. Numa. Gedron. Zokhad, and a few others use the large, tile· 1 1 ·00 no one: for (64): 01 (D), 02·05 (G), 06· 1 0 (L), I I · (K) no one: for
lined tubs from time to time. DAY ENCOUNTERS - for each bath: 0 1 ·02 (65): 0 1 · 1 5 (P), 1 6·20 ( I ) and (P): 2 1 ·00 no one: for (66): 0 1 · 1 0 (e). I I ·
(B), 03·04 (C), 05 (0). 06 (E), 07 (Fl, 08 (G), 09· 1 0 (H), 1 1 · 1 5 (J), 1 6 20 (H), 2 1 ·30 (C) + ( H ): 3 1 -40 (P), 4 1 ·00 no one. NIGIIT ENC()UN'IFRS
(N), 1 7 (P), 1 8·00 no one. NIG/IT ENCOUNTERS - no one. for (23) and (64): no one: for (65): sec note about bedrooms, but
23. Southwest Tower. Some of the heavier and less valuable loot Emuna often (25%) wanders at night: for (66): 0 1 ·05 (H), 06· 1 0 (C) +
from the "stolen" caravans and travellers is stored here. Because of this. (H), 1 1 ·30 (P): 3 1 ·00 no one.
the door is locked (· 1 0). Stacked on the Ooor are ingots of copper (50 24. Kitchen Entry and Stairhall. The door of the kitchen block
wonh 8 gp each, weighing about 50 Ibs each), small barrels of olive oil can be barred from the inside. A stairway on the right as the building is
( 1 0 wonh 5 gp each, weighing about 40 Ibs each and holding about 5 entered leads to the upper level. To the left, an open arehway leads into
gallons each), 20 seal skins (wonh 3 gp each), and four large coils of the kitchen itself. In the hal lway's dead end arc 3 brooms, 2 mops. and a
tarred rope for ships ( 1 00 ft per coil). Upper level (64) is being used as a couple of old leaky wooden buckets. DAY ENCOUNTERS - 0 1 ·05 (J). 06·
timber store: rough planks and small logs are stacked against the walls 10 (K), 1 1 · 1 5 (N), 1 6·00 no one. NIGIIT ENCOUNTERS - no one.
and a rough tool kit in a wooden carrying box is near the door (it 25. Kitchen. Rather grimy, but not as bad as it might be. The pirates'
contains two sizes of hammer, a small saw. three wedges, a box of large cook is an actual professional. kidnapped from a tavern in Sook Oda, and
nails, three large wood files, a wood rasp, and an adze). tries (in vain) to keep things tidy. There arc three fireplaces (one with a
The next level (65) is Emuna's room. The door has a magical trap on bread oven built into it) equipped with pothooks and racks for spits. A
it: when the latch is touched, the person who has touched it will "hear" a large wooden work table is in the center of the room, its top scarred with
tiny voice say: "This is a lock of power. 00 not meddle with it." If it is cuts from knives and cleavers and stained with food juices. Shelves and
touched again by the same person, or if the person remains in contact work counters line the walls, filled and covered with spice bottles, mixing
with it for more than 30 seconds, a curse will be cast on them. This curse bowls, pots, pans, griddles. spoons, ladles, meat forks. knives, and other
causes the affected individual to be clumsy, subtracting 50 from all static cooking ingredients and paraphernalia. Strings of dried chilis, heads of
maneuvers (opening locks, woodcarving, etc.) and 30 from all moving garlic, and other spices hang from the ceiling. All in all, this may be the
maneuvers until the curse is removed. This cursed lock, a form of magic best place in the castle. A doorway leads to the servants' hall, and a
unique to the Haradrim, attacks at Ivl 8. Otherwise, the door is locked at . stairway leads down to the scullery in the cellar. DAY ENCOUNTERS -
10. Inside, it can be seen that Emuna is a traditional Haradan: She scoms 0 1 ·25 (1), 26-35 (K), 36-40 (I), 4 1 ·00 no one PLUS 0 1 ·85 (N), R6·90 (P),
a bed, sleeping instead on a padded mat on the Ooor. The mat is rolled up 9 1 ·00 no one. NIGfIT ENCOUNTERS - 0 1 · 1 0 (N) (in the early moming
during the day. and the blankets arc hung on hooks along the walls to air hours, to bake bread), 1 1 · 1 5 (L) (getting a snack), 1 6·20 (P) (doing the
out. Emuna is fastidious in her own way, and things in the room are same), 2 1 ·00 no one.
arranged precisely. A Haradan rug in overly·bri lliant shades of green and 26. Servants' Hall. The slaves eat and pass time here. There is
violet is in the exact center of the Ooor. Two blue leather cushions are ar· nothing but the wooden table and six stools, under a hanging oil lamp.
ranged on each side of a low table to the left of the entryway. On the DAY ENCOUNTERS - 0 1 ·30 (1), 3 1 ·55 (K), 56·70 (N), 7 1 ·00 no one.
table are a brass tray, a half :-u l l wine Oask, and two small ceramic wine NIGIIT ENCOUNTERS - no one.
cups.
On the wall across from this arrangement is a shelf with three small (9 UPPER LEVELS OF CORNER TOWERS
in. x 7 in. x 4 in.) wooden boxes on it. All are locked ( · 1 0). The first
(from the left), when opened, emits a Stun Cloud. When the second is
opened, a large black Oy, 8 inches in length, zooms out to attack
whoever opened the box. The Oy attacks as a one·handed slashing weapon
(it has a razor·sharp proboscis) with a bonus of +30. Its armor type is
leather and its DB is 40 due to its small size and quickness. It will attack
until it takes full damage (35 points). at which point it turns into a tiny
wooden carving of a Oy, I inch in length. Note that the box is pan of the
magic here: the Oy must be replaced in the box to reactivate and will only
attack whoever opens the box. Each time this device is used, there is a
1 0% chance that the Oy will become useless after it is deactivated.
The third box contains Emuna's jewels; ( I ) a gold ring set with a pale
yellow transparent jargoon (wonh 15 gp): (2) a silver bracelet set with 1 4
onyx squares ( I gp): ( 3 ) a pair o f silver earrings set with orange sard ( I
gp the pair): (4) a silver ring set with a green dernantoid garnet (50 gp):
(5) a copper brooch set with red coral and pinkish carnelian ( 7 gp): (6) a
gold bracelet set with 8 pale green transparent peridots (40 gp): (7) a
bron7.e bracelet set with golden·brown transparent citrines (7 gp): (8) a
silver chain with dangling drops of transparent red jacinth (25 gp): (9) a
collar of tiny gold coins (80 gp): a comb of carved ivory (8 sp): ( 1 0) a
copper bracelet set with a large piece of blue· green chrysocolla and 1 6
tiny bits of gold·necked brown sunstone (3 gp): and a polished steel
mirror 4 inches in diameter in a bronze frame studded with red coral (3
gp). When Emuna is awake, she will be wearing from 3 to 6 of the jewelry
items (01 ·25: three items: 26·50: four: 5 1 ·75: five: 76·00: six: she will
wear bracelets andlor necklaces, Roll I to 1 0 for which items).
A locked ( · 1 5 ) wooden chest is on the Ooor below the shelf. When the
chest is opened by any means other than the proper key (which is behind
a loose stone near the room's doorframe), a cloud of noxious gas Oows
out, making all within the room cough and choke uncontrollably for 2· 1 2
minutes and causing 5· 1 5 points of damage from irritated skin and lungs.
Anyone who fails to resist a level 4 attack vs constitution will also suffer
from reduced vision (50% of normal) for 5· 1 5 hours due to eye
inOammation. In the chest arc many gaudy, embroidered Haradan robes.
Under a false panel in the bottom are two small wooden boxes and a soft
leather purse. In the purse are 34 gpo One box holds 5 tiny ( 1 .5 inches
long, 1/8 inch in diameter) glass ampules of a reddish liquid. I f one is
broken, a gas cloud of the type that came out when the chest was opened
The Great House
GREAT HOUSE
27. Entryway. The doors are good, thick oak, and can be locked (- 1 0)
and barred from the inside. They are flanked by two narrow windows that
shed some light onto the cracked black and red tiles of the floor. DA Y
ENCOUNTERS - 01 (B), 02 (C), 03 (D), 04 (E), 05 (F), 06 (G), 07 (H).
08 (I). 09- 1 2 (l). I I (L), 1 2 (P), 1 3-00 no one. NIGHT ENCOUNTERS -
01 (H), 02 (L), 03 (P), 04-00 no one.
28. Great Hall. Gedron, Zokhad, and whomever they favor dine in this
room, which still has ghostly remnants of its former grandeur. The floor
tiles arc blue with silver flecks, the walls are hung with plain, tattered
blue drapes (there used 10 be silk tapestries), and the table is magnificent,
with not one set of initials carved in its slightly scratched surface. The
chairs are black oak from the north, cushioned with somewhat moth-eaten
blue wool pillows. A huge bronze oil lamp hangs on chains from the
ceiling. DA Y ENCOUNTERS - 0 1 - 1 5 (A), 1 6-25 (l), 26-00 no one.
NIGHT ENCOUNTERS - no one.
29. Stairhall. Dusty parquet flooring. Shelves in the corners used to
hold objects of artistic interest. On the top shelf of the set nearest the
stairs is a tiny ivory statuette of a coiled snake, nearly buried in dust.
This item. when held and gently stroked. will turn into a real snake, white
and 6 inches long. that can crawl into tiny crevices and under doors and
allows the user to see through its eyes. It can see in the dark like an Elf.
but as it is on the floor. its viewpoint is rather l i mited. It returns to its
ivory form 10 minutes later. wherever it is. The user can direct its'
movements while it is in motion. It can be used four more times before it
crumbles to dust. DAY ENCOUNTERS - 01 (B). 02 (C). 03 (D). 04 (E).
05 (F). 06 (G). 07 ( H ), 08 (I). 09- 1 2 (1). I I (L). 1 2 (P). 1 3-00 no one.
NIGHT ENCOUNTERS - 0 1 (H). 02 (L). 03 (P). 04-00 no one.
30. Office . . The door is locked (-20) and Zokhad always carries the only
key with him. He comes here to examine documents that he has stolen (he
usually then burns them in a small bra7.ier that stands in one corner). In
the bottom drawer of the desk is a carved wooden box. I ft x 9 inches x 4
inches. in which Zokhad has placed two scrolls describing him and
offering 500 gp reward for his capture and return alive to Umbar or 400 gp
for his head. The box is locked (- 1 5 to open) and trapped with a tiny
needle coated with the poison legga (gives I to 100 hits of concussion
damage as the flesh around the wound is damaged). DA Y ENCOUNTERS -
01 -05 (B). 06-00 no one. NIGHT ENCOUNTERS - no one.
31. Storeroom. Light comes in dimly from shafts in the walls.
Contains two extra chairs for the Great Hall (28) (no cushions), three
huge brass platters (3 feet in diameter). and five I -quart flasks of oil for
the lamps. DA Y ENCOUNTERS - 0 1 -05 (l). 06-00 no one. NIGHT
ENCOUNTERS - no one.
32. Parlor. The lighting here is basically the same as in (31 ) but is
supplemented by a single hanging lamp (there used to be three of them;
the hooks for the other two are still in the ceiling). The couches have
been removed to the top of the southwest tower (23). but there is still a
moth-eaten rug. two huge leather cushions to use as seats. and three tiny
tables inlaid with ivory stars and little m irrors. ALL ENCOUNTERS -
same as ( 3 1 ) .
33. Hallway. ALL ENCOUNTERS - same a s (27).
34. Private Dining Room. This is now the pirates' infirmary. Two
beds of fairly good quality have been carried in from rooms in the towers
(the rest were burned for firewood or recycled elsewhere). and a small table
with one chair provides Sofan a place to mix medicines. The room is lit
by a brass lamp that hangs from the ceiling. There is also a small lamp
on the table. ALL ENCOUNTERS - 0 1 - 1 0 (L) as a patient. 1 1 -20 (I). 2 1 -
23 (P). 24-00 n o one.
35. Sofan's Bedroom. This was formerly the room of an important
servant. perhaps the butler. It now contains Sofan's bed, his clothes
chest, and a desk with chair. The room is tidy. except for scattered scrolls
and books everywhere. Some contain wild tales of heroic adventure in the
north and south. some contain recipes (Sofan gets along well with the
Cook), and some contain healing lore. much of it wildly wrong. The one
worthwhile scroll describes healing herbs of the Haradwaith and includes a
good recipe for the drug that the H aradrim call Adit i'Raf. or the Friend of
the Physician: it heals 5- 1 5 points of concussion damage and relieves up
to 3 rounds' worth of stun effects. Concocted of mirenna berries and a
local herb called lavri. it can be made with sugar into the form of tablets
that can be easily carried and keep for up to a year. In addition. on Sofan's
desk there is a small, locked casket (-20 to open). Inside are 20 little
green glass vials. numbered in Haradaic.
Their contents are as follows: (vial I ) 4 doses of siriena lotion:
preserves an amount of organic material up to the size of a body - say.
225 Ibs - for up to I week; (2) 3 doses dagmathur extract: entirely heals
one area of damaged cartilage; (3) 2 doses of siran: totally restores one
23
damaged or even destroyed bodily organ. at the cost of giving the patient
a loathsome skin disease that reduces appearance 10 90% of its original -
the disease must be cured magically; (4) 4 doses concentrated aloe juice:
doubles healing rate for minor burns and cuts; (5) I dose winclamit (in the
form of the shreds of the fruit, preserved in white brandy): heals 3-300
points damage; (6) 7 doses ebur: entirely repairs any Qne sprain; (7) 1 0
doses preserved extract of vinuk: relieves 1 - 1 0 rounds of stun effects; (8)
5 doses bursthelas preserve: repairs any one shattered bone - two doses
repairs a shattered joint; (9) 8 doses augmented thurl concentrate: cures 5-
1 0 points of damage; ( 1 0) 3 doses powdered gefnul: heals 1 00 points of
damage; ( I I ) 2 doses essence of tamas: repairs any one damaged bodily
organ; ( 1 2) 20 suranie berries: each relieves I round of stun effects; ( 1 3 ) 8
doses tincture of melandar: adds 1 0 to resistance rolls against disease for I -
1 0 days; ( 1 4) 5 doses culkas ointment: heals u p t o 1 0 square feet o f burns;
( I S) 2 doses grariig liquor: heals 30 points of damage; ( 1 6) 4 doses
arpsusar concentrate: heals any one damaged muscle or small group of
muscles; ( 1 7) 2 doses liquid kaamal ( poison ): gives 20-40 points damage
internally - if RR is failed by 20 or more. victim will be unable to
digest solid food until stomach is healed by spell or drug and will be in
constant pain (-20 to all actions); if failure is less. same effect for 1 -4
days or until healed as above; ( 1 8) 4 doses harfy tincture: immediately and
fully stops bleeding of any one wound of up to 5 points per round; ( 1 9)
1 0 doses atigax eyewash: protects eyes from intense light or glare. allows
sight despite sudden or blinding light. and lasts 9 hours; (20) 5 doses
edram powder: heals any one broken (not shattered) bone.
Note that there is no key or gu idebook to these vials: any person with
training in drug and herb use (for example, an animist) has a 5% chance
per level plus any intuition bonus to determine which drug is which. The
two drawers of the desk are unlocked: the left one contains a flat wooden
case in which are a v ariety of fine steel surgical instruments, such as
scalpels. probes. and suturing needles, plus 1 00 ft of fine gut thread for
sutures. Th) right-hand drawer contains a small blue leather pouch that
holds 29 gp and the chain with golden jade apples that was in Hallatan's
safe. Sofan's chest contains clothing and, at the very bottom, a tiny
statuette of an elephant, in onyx. It is not magic but was given to Sofan
by his older brother when Sofan was 8 years old. He considers it his luck
charm and treasures it even though he has not had much luck in life. DAY
ENCOUNTERS - 0 1 -05 (I), 06- 1 0 (l), 1 1 - 1 5 (P). 1 6-20 no one. NIGHT
ENCOUNTERS - see note about bedrooms.
36. Dulo's Bedroom. Again, an upper servant's room. Dulo has a bed
and two chests. no desk. The room is fairly tidy. except for wood chips
and shavings here and there. Dulo carves and whittles in his spare time:
there are little wooden figurines everywhere. people. animals. abstract
designs, and wooden chains, each link separate (some truly greedy
adventurer might be able to sell them for about a silver piece each: there
are 1 6 of them). On the wall are hung the following: an elephant-hide
shield, painted and embossed (target size); a flail; a very rusty light
crossbow; and a + I S handaxe. which is heavily engraved with Dwarven
runes. Dulo does not use an axe. does not know that this one is magic,
and took it as his share of some loot because he admired the engrav ing.
The unlocked chest contains clothing and several extra-nice pieces of
wood (rosewood and apple). The locked (-20) chest contains a shirt of
chain mail (SZ 40), a bottle of extra-good weapon oil (protects swords and
such even in very damp conditions). and underneath it all, a soft leather
purse containing 5 7 gpo DAY ENCOUNTERS - 0 1 -05 (G), 06- 1 0 (l), 1 1 -
00 no one. NIGHT ENCOUNTERS - see note about bedrooms.
37. Ingar's Bedroom. As Dulo's room, but messier. Wine flasks in
various states of emptiness and fullness lie about. There are five full
flasks in plain sight. and three more under the clothes in one chest. One
of the flasks in the chest (with its stopper sealed with wax and a labcl. in
Haradaic, saying "extra") acts as a potion, inducing a feeling of
intoxicating well-being that is real. for it supplies + I 0 to all physical
actions for half an hour. There is enough special wine for 6 doses in the
bottle. In the locked (-20% to open) chest is a leather jerkin covering two
soft black leather pouches containing 50 gp each, three silver armrings
worth 10 gp each. and a tiny leather-covered box containing the Ring of
B lood Mastery. This gold ring, set with a deep red garnet, allows up to 1 0
points o f Blood Ways (Animist) spells t o be thrown per day: for example,
one 9th Ivl spell and one I st. or two 3rds and a 4th. etc. Ingar most
certamly does not know what the ring is; he just thinks that it looks
valuable and plans to sell it some day, or trade it to another captain for
some item he wants more. DA Y ENCOUNTERS - 0 1 -05 (F). 06- 1 0 (l). 1 1 -
00 no one. NIGHT ENCOUNTERS - see note about bedrooms.
24
38. Library. The walls of this room are covered with scrolls and
bookcases, mostly empty. The remaining pieces of literature consist of
heroic tales (many of them have spent some time in Sofan's hands), maps
of the area and nautical charts likewise. and histories of Umbar and the
North. which Zokhad peruses upon occasion. The secret passage to the
lower levels is accessed from one of the lower bookcases: if one of the
carved ivory flowers set into its front panel Uust below the top) is
pressed. the bookcase can be pushed in like a door, revealing a low
opening (3.5 ft high). This leads to a stairway whose ceiling, once past
the first few steps. is of normal height. Gedron, never fond of his father
and vice versa, never learned of this passage. Sofan and Zokhad have both
discovered it and told no one. each for his own reasons. Zokhad knows
where it leads; Sofan did not dare explore it. DAY ENCOUNTERS - 0 1 -05
(B), 06- 1 0 (E). 1 1 -25 (I). 26-30 (1), 3 1 -35 (P). 36-00 no one. NIGHT
ENCOUNTERS - 01 -05 (I). 06- 1 0 (P), 1 1 -00 no one.
UPPER LEVELS
OF THE GREAT HOUSE
THE UPPER LEVELS
39-40. Upper Levels of Gatehouse. See ( I ).
41-43. Upper Levels of the Southeast Tower. See (5).
44-46. Upper Levels of the Northeast Tower. See (6).
47. Hallway. The area near the stairs used to be used as a sort of lounge
area for the common guards to hang out away from their officers. The
more junior pirates do the same, so several greasy leather cushions and
various dice. wine bottles. and drug pipes lie about. Scores of dice games
are chalked on the stone walls. along with crude comments and
illustrations. DAY ENCOUNTERS - 0 1 -05 (L); 06-20 (M); 2 1 -30 no one.
NIGHT ENCOUNTERS - 0 1 -05 (L); 06-00 no one.
48. Dormitory. Four junior (2nd-level) pirates sleep here on beds like
those in the bedroom s below. Their small clothes chests contain a smaller
but equally uninteresting variety of garments. Possessions of the pirate
lads include 1 3 gp in one mattress, 1 9 gp behind a loose stone in the wall
near the door, 7 gp and 2 silver bangles worth I gp each in a niche above
a window, and 3 gp in a mousehole in the wall with the windows. DA Y
ENCOUNTERS - 0 1 -05 (L); 06- 1 0 (M); 1 1 -20 no one. NIGHT ENCOUNT­
ERS - see note about bedrooms.
The Upper Levels
49. Dormitory. Like (48). Possessions include 1 4 gp under a crudely
made false bottom in one chest. 8 gp in an old shoe pushed into a comer
under a bed. 5 gp in a mattress, and 10 gp and an armlet of bronze with
coral studs (worth 3 gp) wrapped in some dirty underwear in the bottom of
another chest. ALL ENCOUNTERS - Same as (48).
50-51 - Upper Levels of the North Tower. See ( IS).
52-53. Upper Levels of the Stables. See ( 16).
54-56. Upper Levels of the Northwest Tower. See ( 1 7).
57. Hallway. A latrine is located off of it, near the top of the stairs .
ALL ENCOUNTERS - 01 -05 (J). 06- 1 0 (N), 1 1 -00 no one.
58. Bedroom. The cook shares this room with the most intell igent of
the other female slaves. They would have nothing but their straw
mallresses and the clothing hanging from the hooks on the walls, but one
pirate with a sweet tooth has given Cook 32 coppers for candies at
various times (she hides it in the comer of her mattress) and the other girl
is prelly enough to have allracted attentions and 7 silver bangles (worth
1 0 sp each) from Ulbor and Kaldir. DAY ENCOUNTERS - 0 1 -05 (J). 06-
10 (N), 1 1 -00 no one. NIGHT ENCOUNTERS - see note about bedrooms.
59. Bedroom. Two more female slaves. They have nothing between
them but one tiny flask of cheap perfume and a string of blue glass beads.
DAY ENCOUNTERS - 0 1 -05 (J), 06-00 no one. NIGHT ENCOUNTERS
- see note about bedrooms.
60. Bedroom. Same as (59), but one of them has a silk scarf sewn with
silver thread (too grimy to be worth anything) and the other has swiped 5
sp and I gp from her "boyfriends" (the money is hidden in an old, cracked
flower vase in one comer). ALL ENCOUNTERS - same as (59).
61- Bedroom. Same as (59). One girl has an ivory-and-ebony draughts
board (like checkers) and some copper and iron coins to use as counters:
she has won 38 coppers from some of the pirates with this. The other has
a tiny cosmetic kit with pots of rouge and kohl and lillie brushes, as well
as a necklace of jet beads. ALL ENCOUNTERS - same as (59).
62-63. Upper Levels of the South Tower. See ( 1 9).
64·66. Upper Level of the Southwest Tower. See (23).
UPPER LEVEL OF THE GREAT HOUSE
67. Stairhall. Light coming in through arrow loop windows shows up
the dust on the parquet floor. (A) is a latrine that is not used now: having
no shaft, it used to contain a chamber pot that had to be emptied
regularly. The residents now make use of pots in their own rooms and
have the slaves empty them. The door can be locked from the inside. ALL
ENCOUNTERS - same as (27).
68. Kaldir's Room, This used to be a family member's room, of
perhaps a child or grandparent. Kaldir is obsessively neat and explodes
with rage if anyone touches his possessions. He supervises the slaves in
their cleaning once a week and tidies it himself otherwise. His bed is
neatly made, with red blankets and one firm pillow. One unlocked chest
'
contains new or neatly mended clothing. Some of the nautical charts from
the l ibrary are spread on his desk. The desk's two drawers are both locked.
The left-hand one is - 1 0 to open and contains several stolen gold seal­
rings (from both northern and southern dignitaries), a crude allempt (in
bronze) at a seal-ring of his own (with the sign of a winged dagger), ink­
cakes, an ink pot, quil ls, a pen knife, parchment, sand for removing
errors. and several perfectly terrible heroic poems about Kaldir's own
exploits, wrillen in a bold hand. The right-hand drawer is locked at -20
and contains 30 gp and assorted change in a wooden cash box with a
latch; a soft green leather bag containing 5 unset fire opals, worth 25 gp
each; and a small copper idol of Kessem, the god of magic, with his eyes
and kilt made of red-flecked green bloodstone (worth 2 gp). Hanging on
the wall is an ornate but fairly useless composite bow, with a grip of
ivory flanked by bands of gold and black and gold tassels of silk thread at
each end. A matching quiver has six +5 arrows. DAY ENCOUNTERS - 0 1 -
08 (E), 09-00 n o one. NIGHT ENCOUNTERS - see note about bedrooms.
69. Storeroom. Its many wide shelves now contain only a few
blankets and linen sheets. DAY ENCOUNTERS - 0 1 -05 (J), 06-00 no
one. NIGHT ENCOUNTERS - no one.
70. Zokhad's Room. This used to be the nursery. Zokhad has
furnished it in barbaric splendor: the wooden floor is nearly invisible
under red and black woolen rugs from Umbar and a huge black bearskin
from the north. The cedarwood bed, assembled from pieces found in a
caravan wagon, has hangings of black silk, sewn to order in Kas Shadoul.
It is spread with a coverlet of black mink pelts: totally unnecessary in
this hot climate, even at night, but very expensive (worth 1 00 gp). In the
base of the bedframe is a secret panel, which (when pushed in) reveals a
secret compartment containing a lillie wooden box with tiny vials of the
blade venom Karfar (kills by nervous system failure in 2- 1 2 rounds), the
poison antidote refure (3 doses each), and a pargen berry (Iifegiving if
pressed upon the tongue of a preserved or life-kept body within 4 days of
death). Also in the compartment is a black silk bag containing 20 huge
( 1 /2 in. diameter) black pearls (worth 25 gp each).
The Upper Levels 25

The walls are hung with two black steel headsman's axes (a "memento
mori" from Zokhad to himself) and a well-worn whip with a grip of carved
ivory that is used to punish erring pirates (greater but less elegant whips
are used on the galley slaves by the pirates themselves). Two ornately
carved chests of walnut wood, stained black, contain bedding and
clothing. On the desk are several volumes on the history of Umbar and
the H aradwaith; a chess board of fine leather over wood, with pieces or
onyx and white marble; and a small applewood casket that is bound in
brass studded with red coral and locked ( - 1 5 ) : it contains 25 gp, 2 gold
annrings with onyx panels ( worth 25 gp each). and a ring or mithril and
gold, set wilh a huge star sapphire (worth 200 gp). The desk drawers are
un locked and contain writing tools, ink-cakes, and a written evaluation of
each of the captains in frank tenns, records of the takes rrom expeditions,
and the number of slaves available down below. Anyone who handles the
records will find that the areas of skin that have touched the parchment are
turning bright blue. The color cannot be washed orf, but fades in 2-4 days.
In the southeast comer of the room. under one or the black chests (and
the rug beneath that), is a secret panel that flips up to reveal a capacious
secret compartment. The panel is trapped: a small dart shoots out. smeared
with the Karfar. The compartment contains the horn that Hallatan
described: 250 gp in 50 gp sacks: a white porcelain flask of the clear
liquid that smells acrid (it is simmoll, the chemical that Zokhad used on
the records: it gets brushed on and left to dry, leaving no trace. but will
interact with the oils in Human, Dwarf, or Hobbit skin to have the effect
described above - it doesn't work on Elves ! ): two large, soft camelhair
brushes; a rune of Loll!: Door ( 1 00 ft); a map of the secret passage from
the library (unlabelled: just a diagram ); a rune of Speed III : a ring of
keys (keys to ALL the doors on the lower and secret harbor levels): and
the Box of the Generous Friend. This 6-in. cubical cedarwood box has the
power of duplication. Any inanimate, unaltered ( for example. by heat -
cutting is O K ), nonmagical object placed in it will be duplicated entirely
after being left in the closed box for 5 minutes. Thus one apple becomes
two, one egg becomes a pair, etc. It takes I charge to duplicate vegetable
matter, 2 for animal matter, and 5 for m i neral matter. There are 74 charges
left. An item can only be duplicated once, and only one item can be
duplicated at a time (two figs will not become four). Note that herbs are
not considered magical in this instance. Cu rrently in the box are two
pargen berries. DAY ENCOUNTERS - 0 1 - 1 0 ( B ), 1 1 - 1 5 ( J ), 1 6-00 no
one. NIGHT ENCOUNTE-RS - see note about bedrooms.
7 1 . Ulbor's Room_ Orginally as Kaldir's. U lbor's room has a relaxed Numa
sloppiness: it is cleaned regularly, and he throws the bed together, but
things are out of place frequently. It contains a bed, two chests, and a
comfortable chair. Hanging on the wall is a fine oud ( like a lute), which clear glass: and tiny ceramic pols of kohl. rouge. malachite eyeshadow,
Ulbor plays in his spare time (he plays pretty well and sings acceptably), and henna paste, wilh brushes. On one wall is hung a leopard �kin.
as well as a display of fou r I -handed broadswords (one is +5) and IWO flanked with two pairs of crossed spears. There arc Ihree chesls: IWO are
scimitars that he took from opponents in early raids, before there were unlocked, and contain Gedron's and Nurmi's clolhing ( i n hers arc 5 silken
enough lesser crew members to do such dangerous things. A partially scarves in rainbow colors, embroidered wilh gold. silver. ano tiny gems.
emptied and restoppered wine flask usually stands on a small table by the worth 2 gp each). The third is locked ( -20) and I rapped (a "D" electricity
chair, along with a silver cup (worth 2 gp). One chest is unlocked and critical from the lock, magically delivered): it holds 1 50 gp in three
filled with elean but comfortably worn clothing. The other is locked (-20). leather sacks of 50 gp each: a golden goblel sCI with pearls and plaques of
It contains 30 gp in a leal her sack: a lovely belt or black lealher, with a lapis lazuli ( worth 20 gp): an armring or gold and silver set wilh peridol
gold buckle sludded with green lounnalines (someone unversed in gem lore (clear, pale green slones}(wonh 45 gp): another imming or gold SCI with a
would Ihink Ihal Ihey were somewhal pale emeralds) ( worth 50 gp) - large piece or chalcedony (a bluish-while stone wilh Ihin. branching
Ulbor never wears it because iI's "100 rancy" bUI he admires il: a cloak or brown lines in i t ) surrounded by liny carved bits or malaehile (green.
heavy silk brocade, dark green wilh silver (worth 1 0 gp); a purse of soft opaq ue) and amethyst ( worth 85 gp): a ring of plalinum SCI wilh a large
doeskin with gold beads sewn into it (worth 5 gp), conlaining 1 0 large, green Demantoid garnet ( 75 gp); and a belt or blue lealher wilh a buckle
uncut rubies (worth 1 0 gp each): and a rancy flask or iridescent purple or copper set wilh plaques of sardonyx ( reddish-brown and while slripes).
glass, containing a potion or heat resistance (3 doses, protects user from There is a deep closet in the northeast corner of Ihe room : it contains
nalural heat up to 200"F, adds 20 to R R vs heat spells or 20 10 DB vs IWO long silk robes (one red and gold brocade, one blue shot with melallic
elemental fire attacks). DAY ENCOUNTERS - 0 1 -05 ( D ), 06- 1 0 (1), 1 1 -00 silver Ihreads: worth 3 gp each) and a cloak of heavy dark brown silk
no one. NIGHT ENCOUNTERS - sec note about bedrooms. satin with white fox rur trim ( worth 6 gp). The closet is lined wilh cedar.
72. Gedron and Numa's Sitting Room. Furnished with a small. but even so. there are a few mOlhs. The walls of Ihe room are panelled
elaborately inlaid table with two chairs cushioned in green wool: a green­ with a silvery wood rrom Ihe far south: one panel (-20 10 delecl) pushes
cushioned seUee of carved fruit wood: green and gold rugs: and a inward to reveal a secret compartmelll, the size of a large closet. II has
comrortable annchair with blue-and-green striped cushions. Numa shelves thai are mostly stacked wilh black mink pells ( 1 2 pells worth 1 2
exorcises some or her rrustralions by keeping the place tidy. The white­ gp each ) , red rox skins ( 4 pells al 4 gp each). and onc while bearskin
and-green striped curtains are a little moth ealen, even so. The table ( worth 50 gp). Under one Slack or m ink skins is a small box ( 3-in. cube)
usually has a bowl of rruit, a wine flask, and IWO silver cups (2 gp each) of silver inlaid with gold wire filigree ( ilself worth 40 gp) containing a
on it. DAY ENCOUNTERS - 0 1 -05 (C), 06-20 ( H ), 2 1 -30 (C) + ( H ), 3 1 - ring of gold encrusted with tiny pearls: the Ring or the Yelll-Rukha. This
35 (1), 36-00 no one. NIGHT ENCOUNTERS - 0 1 -02 (C), 03-04 ( H ), OS­ ring allows the wearer to operate underwater as if it were his or her natural
lO (C) + (H), 1 1 -00 no one. environment: breathing, seeing. and moving appropriately. II is usable
73_ Gedron and Numa's Bedroom. The cedarwood bed has white but once per rull moon and allows said aClions ror 1 2 hours. During this
hangings shot with green and silver: their age shows. A small dressing time, the wearer can brealhe eiC. only with difriculty OUI of waler. The
table holds a silver mirror rramed in silver and gold riligree with tiny Yem-Rukhim are said (by the Haradri m ) to be a race or undersea
pearls (worth 10 gp); an ivory-inlaid ebony box (worth 5 gp) filled with h umanoids. Gedron suspects that Ihe ring is magical bUI does nOI know
12 bangles of gold and silver, set with semiprecious stones and glass what it does. DA Y ENCOUNTERS - 0 1 -05 (C), 1 1 -20 ( H) , 2 1 -25 (C) +
(average worth: 7 sp) and one good set of earrings, gold with pink pearls, (H), 26-30 (1), 3 1 -00 no one. NIGHT ENCOUNTERS - see note about
worth 1 2 gp the pair; three small bottles or perfume, in red, green, and bedrooms.
26
LOWER LEVELS OF THE MOONSTONE FORTRESS
74. Prison Anteroom. This is accessed from the spiral staircase in
the Southeast Tower « 5) on main diagram). It contains a desk with a
chair. in which a guard was always seated in the old days. Recently, it has
been only sporadically manned. Behind the desk are a ring of keys on a
hook (for the cells in (76) and the doors to (77) and some doors to
rooms on the Secret Harbor level: (0), (N), (I)-(M)) and four levers,
arranged in a square. The first (the top left-hand comer of the square) drops
an iron door hidden in the ceiling across the entry to the staircase
(reversing the lever will raise it). The second (top right-hand) opens the
door to (76). The third (Iowcr left) opens the door to (75). The founh
(lower right) rings a loud bell behind a grill, high up on the outer wall of
the tower. It can be heard all over the complex. It has accidentally been
rung from time to time, so the pirates know what it is (on the other hand,
if it's during the hours that they are active, they may think nothing of it
but "What an idiot ! ) . DAY ENCOUNTERS - 0 1 -90 (L), 9 1 -00 no one
PLUS 0 1 -02 (B), 03-04 (D), 05-06 (G). 07-08 (P), 09-00 no one. NIGHT
ENCOUNTERS - 01 -80 (L), 8 1 -83 (P), 84-00 no one.
75. Armory. Almost all the useful items have been removed. The arrnor­
cleaning machine (a large barrel of oily sand, suspended so that it can be
tumed with a huge crank) is still there, as is a huge standing whetstone
for sharpen ing blades. On racks on the walls are two spears and a + 1 0
warhammcr that n o one can use very well, a s well as two +5 Elvish
longbows that are too hard to draw for any of the pirates to bother with
them. DAY ENCOUNTERS - 0 1 -02 (D), 03-05 (G), 06- 1 0 (L), I I (P), 1 2-
00 no one. NIGIIT ENCOUNTERS - 0 1 -05 (L). 06-00 no one.
76. Prison, The cells (76a-76d) are usually empty, as the captives
used as galley slaves go straight to the large cells below and the pirates
are usually punishcd by flogging (Zokhad wields the whip) in the Inner
Ward. Sofan is occasionally incarcerated here by Zokhad, who terrifies
him with descriptions of tonures and leaves him here ovemight as a
punishment for having a big mouth. Once or twice, pirates who have
gotten very drunk off duty have been left here. Finally , "luxury" slaves
(such as. dancers, musicians, cooks, etc.) are kept here until they are sold.
Currently, two pretty Kirani slave girls are in (76d), awaiting sale in the
large pon of Kas Shadoul. So that their looks will not go "off," they have
been given mattresses, blankets, adequate food, and the chance to wash up
from time to time. Their names are Amadika and Immi. Dorien is
CHIMNEY PIT AND TUNNEL
LOWER LEVELS
<$>
- ----
0 5 " " " " �.�.wabl
The Lower Levels
in (76c) and has been treated as the other two slave girls. DAY
ENCOUNTERS (ill additioll to the two slm'es alld Dorien) - 0 1 -03 (B), 04-
10 (L), 1 1 -20 (I) in cell (76a), 2 1 -24 (P), 25-00 no one.
77. Corridor to Secret Harbor. The door is locked (-20), but the
key is on the ring behind the desk in (74). Immediately beyond the door,
around a comer, is a flight of I I stairs: the fifth and sixth stairs from the
top are of very thin wood and will collapse under a weight of 90 or more
Ibs, throwing the person who steps on them into a �O-ft-deep pit floored
with jagged rocks (a 2-handed weapon attack with an bonus of 30 plus
another 10 for every 50 Ibs of the victim's body weight - cnicals for
this are crush - plus three I -handed slashing attacks with the slImc add).
The wood is crudely painted to resemble stone, and in this dim light. a PC
must state that he/she is examining the stairs to even have a chance of
noticing that something is amiss (at which point a Perception roll of 80
or better, including add, will detect the false stairs). At the Three Ways,
COrrIdor (e) leads down to the secret harbor. Corridor (b) ends, after a
flight of stairs, in a "chimney" into the rock. This opening is 4 ft in
diameter. Anyone coming down (b) with a perception roll of less than 50
(bonus included) will fall down the hole, taking three 2-handed weapon
attacks as above but with only the weight-adjusted add. When the victim
stops rolling, he/she will have dropped and rolled a total of 50 ft
venically and 60 ft horizontally: he/she will be in a gradually sloping
tunnel no more than 3 ft in height, which eventually ends in another,
much steeper chimney. This drops some 70 ft straight down to come out
through the 20-ft-high ceiling of slave cell ( M ) on the secret harbor
level. Corridor (e) runs down a flight of stairs and then tums abruptly.
Just before thiS bend is a weight-sensitive spot in the floor (trigger = 1 00
Ibs) that triggers heavy crossbows hidden in the walls, causing two +40
missile attacks each at 3, 4.5, and 6 ft above the floor. Around the comer
is a dead end. DAY ENCOUNTERS (Note that the pirates are illstrueted to
walk dowll the stairs to jllst short of the traps ill (b) alld (c) so that all
three ways are eq/lally tral'elled) - 01 (B), 02 (C), 03 (D), 04 (E), 05 (F),
06 (G), 07- 1 0 (L), 1 1-12 (0), 1 3- 1 5 (P), 1 6-00 no one. NIGHT
ENCOUNTERS - 0 1 -03 (L), 04-05 (P), 06-00 no one.
78. Secret Doorways. These are reached by pulling on the hooks of
one of the empty spear racks in (75), which activates a mechanism that
causes a slab of the wall to pivot open. The dust is thick and undisturbed
on the floor. NO ENCOUNTERS.
To (R) on the Secret Harbor Layout
. . .
The Secret Harbor
79. Secret Corridors. These join the three parts of the underground
complex - the prison area. the scullery/pantry area. and the secret
council room - together. The dust is thick and undisturbed on the floors.
At the spot marked T on the diagram is a pressure-sensitive floor plate
(trigger = 1 00 Ibs) that causes a Wall of Fire to erupt from the floor at the
spot marked XXX. This fire will bum for 30 minutes and then go out by
itself. The trap automatically resets. Also. see ( 8 1 ) . NO ENCOUNTERS.
80. Scullery/Pantry. The stairway leads back up to the kitchen « 25)
on Main Diagram) . This area has its own well, which flows into a basin
to the right and ahead of the stairs. Nearby are wooden and stone sinks.
The wastewater can be let out through drains into crevices in the floor and
then into the sea. A larger boiler allows water to be heated for washing
dishes and pots. Empty buckets nearby provide a place for garbage.
Shelves and bins hold supplies. including flour, meal, dried beans and
peas, fresh and dried fruits and vegetables. salted and dried meats, spices.
salt. herbs (culinary, not medical). essences of roses and mint for soft
drinks, honey. sugar. oil for cook ing and lamps, kindling. homemade
soap. fine sand for scrubbing pots and pans. towels and dishrags. string.
and lightweight rope (about I OO-lb test). Barrels hold wine, cruder oil. and
beer. Fi rewood is stacked on low racks to keep air circulating around it.
DAY ENCOUNTERS - 0 1 -50 (1). 5 1 -00 no one PLUS 0 1 -40 (N). 4 1 -00
no one. NIGHT ENCOUNTERS - 0 1 -05 (N) in the early morning hours,
getting baking supplies. 06-07 (P) but not if (N) is there. 08-00 no one.
81. Cold Room. A natural spring flowing around this room keeps it
cool (approx. 45"F). Meats and dairy products are stored here: sides of
beef, whole plucked chickens and geese, baskets of eggs. cheeses, jars of
yogurt and kefir (like thin yogurt. used for making beverages), and whole
but gutted lambs hang from hooks in the ceiling or rest in niches carved
into the rock. One niche hold flasks of wine and nonalcoholic beverages
that are being cooled. ALL ENCOUNTERS - same as (80).
82. Wine Cellar. The door is locked ( - 1 0): Cook has the key (slave or
not. she's the boss in this small area. Besides. none of the pirates wants
to be bothered except for the drunks. like Ingar). The racks are definitely
not full. but there are about 45 bottles of wine. There are four lantern
hooks around the walls: if one of them is twisted. a click can be heard
behind one of the racks. and that rack can then be pulled forward.
revealing a secret entrance to corridor (79). If the secret door is closed
(after being opened) without twisting the hook back to its original
position. the ceiling immediately outside the door will fall in. causing 1 -4
2-handed weapon attacks +50 on anyone in that 5 x 1 0 ft area and
strewing the floor knee-deep in stony rubble. DAY ENCOUNTERS - O l ­
IO (N). 1 1 -00 no one. NIGHT ENCOUNTERS - no one.
83. Secret Stairway. This is the stairway from the library «38) on
the Main Diagram). DA Y ENCOUNTERS 0 1 -02 (B). 03-00 no one.
NIGHT ENCOUNTERS - no one.
84. Secret Council Room. The door is locked (-20). This room
contains a large mahogany table and eight matching chairs. The walls are
hung with mouldering hangings woven with a stylized pattern of waves in
shades of blue. On one wall is a diagram of the secret harbor. on
parchment. in a frame. An empty bronze lamp hangs above the table. The
dust is deep on the floor: Zokhad's footprints are clearly visible; he
debated sweeping up but decided that his footprints would not be any more
revealing than no dust at all. However, he did decide to cut his
investigation short because of it. Faintly visible on the walls behind the
hangings (not visible in bad light) are two secret doors: to corridor (79)
and to the vault (85). The secret doors are pivoting slabs: the pivots are
iron and rusty, so that they will shriek if turned. However, the sound will
not carry far in this rock. ALL ENCOUNTERS - same as (83).
85. Vault. When the slab is pivoted, a crystal vial will break open,
causing a caustic yellow gas to flow out into the room. This poison
causes 2-20 points damage and if a RR vs. a Ivl 6 attack is failed. causes
unconsciousness for 2-8 hours. The vial may be removed (a Very Hard
maneuver) if the trap is detected. The dust inside the vault is thick on the
floor. Gedron never knew about this. either, but his predecessors did: Dad
and Grandpa sold off most of the castle's treasures years ago. What
remains is odd and esoteric or unusable by Haradrim notions: a flat
wooden case. 2 in. x 8 in. x 4 in .. containing a pair of grey leather
gloves (the Gloves of Lord Lightfingers. a Master Thief of Asni Oat: they
adjust to fit any wearer and add 10 to manipulatory skills, such as picking
locks or pockets); a silver mirror in a bronze frame (the Mirror of
Marreth: This can only be used by one whose intelligence and intuition
are both above 75. Then, if the user lays a hand upon some item and
gazes the mirror, he or she will see an image from the item's past. If, in
addition, the total of the user's intelligence. intuition. and level i s 1 90 or
above. the mirror can be directed to show more specific scenes (for
example, the item's creation) or to scroll through the entire history of the
27
item at high speed. Note that items of great power will not be analyzed
very well by this method. as they possess enough power and "will" to
resist); and a huge bronze jar. enamelled in swirling patterns of red and
blue, that is big enough to hide a Hobbit in. NO ENCOUNTERS.
SECRET H A RBOR LEVEL
A . Deadend Cut. The tide splashes in here dangerously. and caught in
the rocks is a good deal of flotsam. Fifteen feet above the high tide level
is a cavelet, one of several. This particular one. in spite of its
unpreposessing appearance (the entry is a mere 3 ft high), leads to a
narrow (5 ft diameter) tunnel, which in tum leads to an opening in (G),
high up, in the shadows near the ceiling (50 ft above the floor of that
cavern). Syron noticed these cavelets when he hid from the pirates but
will not press the issue, as he knows that many such openings peter out
into dead ends. NO ENCOUNTERS.
B. Deadend Cut. Nothing but debris and flotsam. Caught among the
debris is a somewhat battered gold and silver footed serving dish (like a
compote), set with garnets and morion (grey and transparent) around the
rim. Lost in a shipwreck, it catches the light on sunny days and even in
its current condition is worth 60 gpo NO ENCOUNTERS.
C. Reavers' Cut. The entrance to the secret harbor. At the end near
(E), a spiked chain can be fastened across just below the waterline to
catch unwanted ships that attempt to enter (+50 Ship Impact AttaCk). The
pirates must row out to fasten and unfasten the chain: it is very heavy and
awkward, and the little dory ( rowboat) frequently capsizes (" Very Hard"
Moving Maneuver). DAY ENCOUNTERS - 01 -05 the Bay Eaglet, 06- 1 0
Master Seawolf. 1 1 -00 no one. NIGHT ENCOUNTERS - 01 -02 Bay
Eaglet, 03-04 Master Seawolf, 05-00 no one.
D. Deadend Cut. Just uninteresting flotsam .NO ENCOUNTERS.
E. Secret Harbor. Maximum depth in the center in 50 ft: minimum at
spring low tide is 40 ft. A stone jelly with posts and rings for tying up
boats and ships extends from the entrance to corridor (Fl. Two dories
with their oars shipped are usually tied up near the inside end of the jelly.
The Bay Eaglet gets made fast at the end, while the Master Seawolf is
anchored in the center and unloads by dory and by a hook attached to a
cable that runs through eyes in the cavern roof and ends up near the entry
of (F), where it is tied up to a ring sunk into the floor. This apparatus can
hold up to 300 Ibs safely: the first eye is slowly working loose, and
every 1 0 Ibs over 300 adds another 5% to the chance (5%) of its coming
out entirely, causing whatever is on the hook to fall into the harbor (or
onto a person or vessel). DAY ENCOUNTERS - 0 1 -60 (M) on both
ships, 6 1 -70 (L) in dory, 7 1 -00 no one. NIGHT ENCOUNTERS - 0 1 - 1 0
(L) on both ships, J J - 00 n o one.
F. Corridor. It slants steeply up and is often damp and slippery
(running without falling is a " Hard" Moving Maneuver). DAY ENCOUNT­
ERS - 0 1 -90 (L). 9 1 -00 no one. NIGHT ENCOUNTERS - 0 1 -75 (L). 76-
00 no one.
G. Cavern. This is entirely natural. Tall pil lars of stone reach up to the
ceiling: stalagmites and stalactites reach up and down. A small stream runs
out of one wall as a l ittle waterfall and runs out again through a tiny
culvert in the opposite wall. Hooks on the wall support lanterns: two are
lit at all times, but they make more shadows than light. When cargo is
being unloaded, 10 lanterns are lit, providing adequate but dim light. Up
near the ceiling, a small opening leads to the tunnel to cut (A). DAY
ENCOUNTERS - 0 1 (A), 02 (B), 03 (C), 04-05 (D). 06 (E). 07 (Fl. 08-09
(G), 1 0- 1 5 (L), 1 6-20 (M), 2 1 -22 (0), 23-25 (P), 26-00 no one. NIGHT
ENCOUNTERS - 0 1 -25 (L), 26-27 (P), 28-00 no one.
H. Store Room. The latest large items of cargo are stored here. The
door is locked (-20). It currently holds a stack of Dwarven steel sword
blanks (roughly shaped sword blades. no hilts: worth 2 gp each because of
the quality of the steel); a small stack of gold ingots (5 of them. each
about the size of a brick: weigh 55 Ibs and are worth about 800 gp each:
this is what Zokhad is going to use to buy a new ship): five small casks
of wine from Belfalas (worth about 5 gp each): 1 0 oxhides ( for making
boots and shields; worth 2 gp each): 20 I -qt flasks of almond oil (worth I
gp each); 1 0 wooden crates of apples ( rare here: each crate holds 30
apples and is worth 3 gp); 8 large cheeses in wax (worth 4 sp each;
headed for the fortress kitchen); and a bale of fine woolen cloaks wrapped
in canvas (25 cloaks in red, green, brown, and blue, worth I gp each).
DAY ENCOUNTERS - 0 1 -02 (D), 03-04 (E), 05- 1 0 (L), 1 1 -00 no one.
NIGHT ENCOUNTERS - none.
I. Anteroom to Galley Slave Prison. Racks on the wall hold chains.
leg irons, manacles, and whips. All these confinements have the same
key: all the captains have a copy, and a spare hangs just inside the door
into (N) as well as with some more pieces of prison ironmongery stored
up in the ground level of the Southeast Tower « 5) on the Main Diagram).
28 The Secret Harbor Layout

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0' 25' 50' 75'

THE SECRET HARBOR

The Encounters
A vast fireplace (its smoke goes out through crevices and can sometimes
be smelled outside. on the eliff top) is constantly going. cooking two
cauldrons filled with grain-and-Ientil porridge. to which is sometimes
added dried meat. fru it. or bruised vegetables. Water barrels stand nearby.
The slaves share a large number of wooden cups and bowls in various
states of rot (they pour the porridge directly into their mouths. having no
spoons). Each cellful of slaves gets the opponunity to wash once a week.
in a barrelful of heated water: few of them care. DAY ENCOUNTERS - 0 1 -
90 (L). 9 1 -00 n o one PLUS 0 1 -02 ( 8 ). 03 (E). 04-05 ( M ). 06-00 n o one.
NIGHT ENCOUNTERS - 01 -40 (L). 4 1 -00 no one.
J to M. Slave Cells. There are about 30 slaves in each large cell. They
are dressed in loincloths and have wild. shaggy hair and beards: they are
linked into gangs of 10 by chains attached to their leg irons. They are
mostly peasant Haradrim (50%). Gondorian sailors (30%), poor Corsairs
( 1 0%), and Kirani (8%), with a couple of Nonhmen, Easterlings. and
Variags thrown in. Latrine pits are in the comers of the cells. and piles of
filthy straw and old cloaks and blankets supplement the slaves' own body
heat for warmth, but it is cold and dank. Many of them have bad coughs:
they last an average of a year after capture. Needless to say. they stink.
Their attitudes range from apathetic to smoulderingly wrathful: open anger
is punished quickly by the whip, even to the point of death, or by even
worse punishments as an example to the rest. In the shadows of the
ceiling of cell ( M ) is an opening 3 ft in diameter that connects to the
chimney tunnel from the prison level. NO ENCOUNTERS except with the
slaves.
N. Stairway. The door is locked (- 1 5) and can be barred from inside the
stairway. An extra key to the chains etc. in ( I ) and on the slaves hangs
from a hook just inside the doorway: easy to miss unless you look.
Directly opposite the entrance to ( G ) is a doorway leading to a latrine.
Along the shon corridor to the latrine is a lever. When it is down, the
trap at the foot of the stairs is inactivated. When it is up, the trap is on.
This trap is a weight-sensitive spot in the floor (trigger = 1 00 Ibs) that
triggers heavy crossbows hidden in the walls. causing twO +40 missile
attacks each at 3, 4.5, and 6 ft above the floor. The door at the top is
also locked ( - 1 0) . . ALL ENCOUNTERS - same as (77).
O. Crossway. Four doors. all locked at - 1 0, lead out. All are identical,
with no indication of what is behind them. In the comers of the room,
near the ceiling. a statuettes of the odd deep-sea fish called the ocean
sunfish. This fish is believed in Haradan mythology to be the servant of
Malikiam, god of the sea (all Haradan and anyone who has dealt
extensively with Haradan sai lors would know this). When the room is
entered, the fish will call softly "Whom do you serve?" The proper answer
is "Malikiam" (or any phrase in Haradaic that contains his name). If the
proper reply is not fonhcoming, all the doors become impossible to open
except for that into (P). All the pirates know what to answer. The fish,
obviously, are magical. ALL ENCOUNTERS - same as (77).
P. Purification Room. This circular room has a domed ceiling, like a
beehive, and is tiled all over in pale blue and green tiles that glitter and
shimmer like seawater. In the center is a basin, empty. big enough to
bathe in. In the old days. it was filled with seawater for worshippers of
the sea god to wash in before devotions (the water was drained off and
refil led afterward). Tiled benches are around the walls; four niches used to
hold robes and towels. At the back of one niche are three levers: the one
on the left will release the doors from the crossway (0) to the corridors
and rooms beyond; the one in the center will cause the fish to wail: and
the one on the right diarrns the trap at the bottom of the stairs (N). If a
lever is up, it is "off': thus the door lever and fish levers are always up
these days, but the trap lever may be up or down, depending on the status
of the trap (since there is another lever that controls the trap: see (N)).
DAY ENCOUNTERS - 01 -05 (0). 06- 1 0 (G), 1 1 -20 (L), 2 1 -25 ( M ), 26-00
no one. NIGHT ENCOUNTERS - none.
Q. Temple of Malikiam, the Sea God. Lined in green-grey marble,
this quaner-spherical room always smells and sounds like the sea, for
secret flues lead to the cliffs JUSt above the water. At the end of the room
opposite the door is a bronze statue of Malikiam, depicted as a stem man
with a kilt of malachite (green, opaque stone) plates and aquamarine and
ivory eyes that seem to stare out into the room. On the pedestal of his
statue, before his feet. is the dagger of Owarven steel in a sheath of blue
leather that Hallatan described, No seats are provided: Haradrim worship
standing. Some of the pirates (in panicular. Oulo and Ulbor) still come in
to say a prayer or two before a raid, asking for gentle seas. It was Ulbor
who left the dagger as an offering: one of the other pirates may yet take
it. ALL ENCOUNTERS - same as (Q).
R. Stairway to Lower Levels of the Fortress. Continuation of (77):
leads to the door from the prison block there ( (76) on Lower Levels
diagram). ALL ENCOUNTERS - same as (77).
29
5.6 The Encou nters
A. The High Command
Gedron, Zokhad, and their four captains are talking together,
but at the intrusion, they whip around to stare, outraged, and draw
their weapons ( i f seated, they rise to do this: takes I round).
Zokhad shouts for reinforcements: "AII hands! Intruders ! " Gedron
and Kaldir surge forward immediately, each determined to slay the
trespassers. U lbor and Dulo are more cautious, while Ingar is
frankly waiting for an excuse to cut out.
If reinforcements do not arrive within a round (check all nearby
rooms for encounters (L) or ( M), if applicable), Zokhad will
attempt to organize his protege and his men to disable and
capture all the strangers. rather than k i l l them, If there is any
success in this (ranging from all the party being disabled to only
one being disabled and the rest flee ing). the treatment of the
captured member(s) w i l l depend on what they look like: all w i l l
b e questioned, b u t strong, tough-looking PCs will be p u t in w i th
the galley slaves and good-looking or unusual ones (nonhumans
or any blonds or redheads) will be kept in the prison (76) for
resale as slaves, while any ordinary types may well be tortured
until they are rescued or kil led. The interrogation w i l l take place
in the armory (75) and will last, on and off, for 10 10 30 hours.
Roll a crush, slash, or bum critical on the victim every 5 hours.
If two or more of the H igh Command are kil led or disabled.
they w i l l retreat. either w i ldly ( i f Zokhad is among the disabled)
or in an organized manner (if he is still up).
B. Zokhad
Zokhad eyes the intruders coldly: he despises them a l l and is
sure that there is some way to get out of this mess. He does not
m ind being considered a coward for a few minutes. so if he is not
sure of nearby reinforcements (check surrounding rooms: if
anyone is there, he probably - 90% - knows about it), he will
try to slip away ( through a window, a secret door, or whatever). If
there is help nearby, he w i l l shout for it and attempt to gain
time: by throwing furniture at one PC and attacking the next, for
instance. If held at arrow point, he w i l l lecture the PCs loudly,
hoping that his men will hear: "If you leave now, you may yet
escape - although I doubt i t ! " Zokhad is very dangerous, not
least because he never gives up. Even in bed or in the bath, he
has his weapons near to hand.
C. Gedron
Gedron grins: what fool s these intruders are! The joy of battle
is upon him: as long as N um a is not there, he will launch himself
straight at the strongest- looking PC, laughing his terrible, mani­
acal laugh. This laugh will summon others in the fortress, if they
are within earshot: any of the other pirates will call for aid and
come themselves, while the slaves and Numa w i l l run for help
(Numa doesn't know what else to do: i f she is found standing by
w h i l e her master is being attacked, she will be killed herself).
Even if no help arrives, Gedron will fight until killed or subdued.
If Numa is about, he will send her to safety, even if the only
refuge is behind some furniture. Then he will proceed as above.
D. UIbor
The captain eyes the strangers uneasily: what is going on?
What would Zokhad want his captain to do? Ulbor w i l l certainly
shout for aid. Then he w i l l attempt to make a fighting retreat to
get reinforcements. If badly wounded, he w i l l give up: he does
not have the k i l ler mentality of his bosses. However, he w i l l
resist questioning staunchly, refusing to g i v e any information.
E. KaIdir
Kaldir's eyes flame, first with surprise and then with eagerness.
I n truders! What a chance to prove h imself to his superiors! And
what a fight this will be! He may not even think to shout for
help at first (0 I -SO he does, 5 1 -00 he doesn't); instead, he
launches himself at the strongest member of the party. As things
go badly, he may shout: check for reinforcements in nearby
rooms or areas. Kaldir loves a battle and will not give up until
subdued. He certainly will not reveal anything if questioned,
30 The Encounters

F. Ingar J. Two (01 -50) or Three (51-00) Female Slaves

If Ingar is alone, he is probably drunk. He stares at the The slave girls look up from their work and gasp and giggle
intruders, horrified. What a situation ! What can he do?! nervously. Slaves or peasants by birth, their first thoughts are
He may launch a futile attack at whichever PC is nearest (0 1 - not of rescue or action but of whether their masters will be angry
20), attempt to escape (2 1-80), or break down in boozy tears (8 1 - at them over this.
00). If captured or disabled, he may break down if questioned and Most of these girls are rather helpless and will not fight if the
tell most or all of what he knows, all the while protesting that party attempts to subdue them and tie them up (0 1 -85). One of
his bosses will kill him if they find out that he betrayed them them (86-00) is a spitfire and will struggle and curse if attacked;
(0 1 -30 he tells all; 3 1-70 he tells most; 7 1 -00 he just sits there she will have to be subdued forcefully. In either case, there may
and mopes). If he is with others, he will try to get them to be screaming (0 1 -30 they scream, 3 1 -00 they don't).
attack, while he goes for help. If approached gently, with reassurances that no one will hurt
G. Dulo them, the girls will supply general information about the castle.
However, they know nothing of the lower levels except for the
Dulo frowns and chews his l ip, wondering what to do. If he
scullery (80) and its attachments.
shouts for help, these poor fools will probably all be slaugh­
tered. If he is attacked, he will defend himself skillfully, looking K. Two Male Slaves
for an opportunity to escape and go for aid. If not, he will try to The slaves look up from their task and stare, mouths agape.
reason with the party. "Quiet! Now, listen, I don't care what What's going on? Will they be beaten for this?
you're here for or why, but you could be in hot water awful soon! These slaves, dull-witted and broken-spirited, will hardly
Let me show you the quickest way out, and don't come back!" struggle if attacked, but they may shout in fear and surprise (0 1 -
If the party talks quietly, he will continue to speak with them. 30 they shout, 3 1 -00 they don't). If approached gently, they will
If they make noise, he will try to hush them, while edging toward talk, but they know even less than the girls, who are more
the door in case calling for help becomes unavoidable. The party intelligent and better treated.
may be able to convince him that if he helps them, they could L. A Pirate
get him an official pardon for his former crime and his current The pirate, lounging at his post, looking for something, or
involvement with the pirates (this is quite possible). If they don't strolling along, glances up casually, then freezes. As he sees the
convince him, they may have to knock him out or otherwise strangers, his hand goes to his weapon. Intruders !
disable him to avoid his calling for aid (01 -20 he insists that There is a chance that the pirate will shout for help: "Ahoy!
they leave; 2 1 -80 he listens to their arguments; 8 1 -00 he decides Intruders ! " ( 0 1 -60 he shouts, 6 1 -00 he doesn't). He will definitely
that it's hopeless and calls for help). Of course, they could draw his weapon and attempt to menace the strangers with a brave
retreat, as he suggests, and try again later. front. If aid doesn't arrive soon, however, he will look for an
H. Numa escape. He is too sensible to tum his back on enemies and will
Numa is startled. Strangers ! Are they saviors, or just trouble? fight if cornered.
If she is with Gedron or anyone else, she will follow their
orders about getting out of the way or whatever. However, if she
is alone, she will try 10 persuade the party to rescue her (if they
give her a chance to talk at all, that is). She will show them her
secret passage in the south wall as proof of her good intentions
and tell them anything she that knows about the layout of the
place. If the pirates are out on a raid, she will suggest that she
and the party escape this very night. Numa will become very
agitated if she suspects that the party plans to leave her behind:
she may even scream and call for help. If it seems that the PCs
are going to help her, however, she will be very cooperative.
I. Sofan
Sofan's dark face turns greenish; his Adam's apple bobs up and
down as he gulps nervously. Who are these people? What will
Zokhad do to him if he thinks that Sofan had anything to do with
it? He clutches at his dagger ineffectively and staggers back until
he hits a wall or table.
If attacked, Sofan will strike wildly at his assailants, perhaps
drawing his dagger (01 -40) but probably not (4 1 -00). If subdued,
he will rapidly spill everything he knows and implore the PCs
not to let Zokhad know that he has done so. He will offer to help
heal any injuries that they have and plead for the party to take
him with them when they go. If left where found, even if not
restrained in any way, he will probably collapse in a heap and
remain where he is until someone comes to look for him.
If the party tries to calm him down, Sofan will rapidly become
sensible (at least, sensible for Sofan) and explain his predica­
ment. He will offer to come with them and be their Animist and
will tell them things about the fortress if asked. If the party
refuses to take him along, he will suggest that they tie him up so
that it looks as if they took him by surprise, bound and left him.

SO/till
Dangers and Obstacles
I f subdued. there is little chance that the party will get any
useful information from him. Most of these pirates are hardened
criminals and will just curse and glare. no matter how sharply
they are pressed. One or two of them may be cowardly enough to
break down and give some trivial information ( 0 1 -85 tough
pirate; 86-00 chicken pirate).
M. A Group of Pirates
The four pirates have been sharing a joke or a meal. They stop
laughing or chewing and stare at the intruders. then head toward
them, drawing their weapons. The pirate farthest back shouts
"Ahoy! All hands! Intruders ! "
I n a group like this, t h e pirates have a certain doglike courage,
bolstered by the presence of their fellows. They attack with deter­
mination and even enthusiasm, sure of victory, for they are on
their home turf.
However, if the fight starts to go badly for them, their enthu­
siasm will evaporate rapidly. I f two of them go down, the others
will try to flee.
Subdued pirates will not be cooperative if questioned: see (L).
N. The Cook
Cook appraises the intruders cooly. Her life has been full of
surprises, and this is just one more. She raises her eyebrows and
taps her ever-present kitchen cleaver meaningfully, waiting for
the party to make the first move.
I f the party attacks, Cook will do her best to slice and dice
them. Life in a tough tavern and then in a castle full of pirates
has made her very competent in a fight. If subdued, she will
prove even tougher to question than a pirate.
If approached politely, Cook will tel l the party whatever she
knows and offer to hide them in the wine cellar i f they need it.
All she asks is that they arrange to get her out of here eventually
and find her a good job somewhere else, preferably far away (the
Northern Girl might hire her: she could double as a bouncer!).
O. A Pair of Pirate Lads
The lads are quietly planning some m ischief or other, but look
up, startled, and see the strangers. They are frightened but thrilled
as wel l . What an adventure!
If attacked, the boys will flee as rapidly as possible. They are
wiry, quick, and hard to catch; they also have no scruples about
dirty fighting. They will scream for help if grabbed and run for
help if they escape. They know all the shortc uts and hiding
places in the upper and ground level areas of the fortress.
If the party talks to them, the boys will be cynical but curious
about what is going on . They will not spill all the beans but may
offer some useful information (0 I -50). On the other hand, they
may just tell wild lies in answer to any questions (5 1 -00). They
will enthusiastically suggest that the party tie them up and leave
them, or lock them or bar them into a room or closet, because it
would be so exciting to tell their buddies about later.
P. Emuna
Emuna draws a deep, hissing breath of mi xed surprise and
eagerness, but quickly hides her anticipation behind a mask of
fear and near-seni lity. Intruders! Seldom does she get a chance to
show what she can really do with a destructive spell! Now, she
will show all the pirates what she's really made of and make these
strangers regret the day that they were born!
I n no way will the PCs be able to reason with the Haradan
witch, for she is far beyond reason. Cunning and deceptive, she
will buy time to choose a spell and prepare it for maximum
effectiveness by acting old and frail, allowing her mouth to fall
open and having her eyes water with tears of seeming fright. She
looks the very picture of a frail old creature, not yet senile,
perhaps, but close to it.
If the PCs are i n a close formation and at least 5 ft from her,
Emuna will try her Firehall first (regardless of what else she
might set on fire ! ). I f they are spread out, she may first cast
Sleep X on as many as possible and then head for cover (assume
that she knows the layout of any nonsecret room or corridor
perfectly). She may use Leaving ( l 00 ft) to effect her escape.
31
From her new pOSItiOn, she will adapt her strategy t o the situ­
ation. I f the encounter is under a stone ceiling (underground), she
may try Cracks Call to bring the roof down (again, she will not
think of the consequences to the castle structure). She may use a
Stun Cloud, an Earthwall, Sudden Light, or aWaterwall to slow
down her pursuers. If she can get a PC alone (for instance, if one
PC runs ahead of the others after her), she will try Suggestion
and have the PC keep the others from following her ("Don't let
your friends follow me! "). Note that the PC in this situation
would then use any means that the character would normally use
in that situation: he or she will not attack the other PCs or hurt
them but will get in the way and be a nuisance or stand front of
doorways, etc. If she feels truly threatened, she may flee, using
Magic Lock to reinforce the first couple of doors that she goes
through (a 25% chance of fleeing: remember that she's crazy).
Keep track of her spell points. When she runs out, she will
resort to tactics such as trying to get above the PCs on a
stairway and throwing things at them (use Crush attacks). As a
last resort, she will fight with her staff or dagger.
5.7 Dangers and Obstacles
As noted in Adveture 2, the approach to the castle offers very
l ittle cover, day or night, but the pirates usually ignore small
fishing vessels unless they actually approach the Reaver's Cut. At
night, there are few guards on duty i n the towers, and a careful
approach from the south along the cliff may well prove effective.
The Pirates: Although they know little about setting up
watches on the outside of castles, the pirates are alert enough
inside the fortress or on board ship, and they are vicious in
groups or when cornered.
The Pirate Lads: When approached directly, the lads will
react as outlined above. However, these feisty youths are always
looking for trouble and are often wandering about at night: if the
party should happen to make some noise near one of the boys'
nocturnal haunts, the 'prentices will be quick to investigate and
notify the guards.
Zokhad, Gedron, and Kaldir: These officers are vicious and
good fighters. They should only be attacked in force, from a
distance, or from behind: single combat is a quick way to a
lonely grave at the bottom of the sea.
The Moonstone: This magical device is very effective in
protecting the areas that its maker remembered: the walls and the
gates. If anyone goes i n the gates univited or c l imbs or tunnels
through the walls, the awful cry will go off. However, the creator
of the Moonstone didn't think of flying or the Secret Harbor, so
intruders can use either of these routes unannounced.
Emuna: Emuna is not to be underestimated. Having adopted the
Moonstone Fortress as her home and Gedron as her lord (with
Zokhad his trusted advisor), she will regard any intruders as an
opprtunity to prove hersel f a mage of true grit. She will not
hesitate to cast any spells that she considers necessary, and she
is vicious when cornered.
Traps and Snares: These are as noted. Zokhad richly rewards
any pirate who comes up with a good idea in this department, so
some of the traps are quite vicious. Do not give the players any
u ndeserved hints about the presence of traps. In this regard, i t
helps to make sure t h a t i t seems a s i f there could be traps when
there are not. That is, i f the PCs ask to check for traps i n a given
area that has none, do not just say: "You find no traps." Roll dice
and make a show of checking to see i f a trap has been detected.
NOTE: For this adventure,you should roll the dice for trap
checks, not the pes. The same should he true of perception
rolls. Make sure that you have noted each PC's perception,
trap detection/removal, and saving throw honuses in a
convenient spot.
32 Beast Tabk and NPC Tabk

6.0 TH E BEAST TABLE

Kraken/l
Wild Cattle/ 1 2- 1 20
Pit Spider/l

7.0 TH E N PC TABLE
Lvi II1II

I l Obs 75cp Corsair Wanior/Fighter. The "Laughing Reaver".

1 25ha 90cp Black Numen6rean Scout/Rogue. A captain.
85bs 701cb Corsair Wanior/Fighter. A lieutenant.
Corsair Wanior/Fighter. A lieutenant.

Harath do Ramam 10 Ch/1 4 50 AIL 1 25ss 1 05cp 10 Haradan Wanior/Fighter. Hetman of Sook Oda.
Shamara sut Katub 9 Noll 45 N 55qs 50s1 15 Haradan AnimistIHealer. Priestess of Kesht.
Sakur do 'Akil 3 Noll 10 N 45c1 40ha 10 Haradan Wanior/Fighter. N. Girl Innkeeper.
Arza sut Timman Noll 5 N N 1 5da 15da o Haradan ScoutfThief. Sakur's wife.
3
2
I
6
Rukhim Tribe (see Section 4.5 1 ):
Rukhim Chief/l 6 70
Rukhim Animistll 6 55
Ruknim Warriors/8 2 50
 HARNUN DAT AREA

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